Rather Than Destroying More Than You Can Create, Find Ways Of Resolving The Issue! Segun Adekoye Writes On Ese Walter & Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo Saga

And this won't stop.... I know most of you have read what she said. Well i found this, and thought you guys should read it too.

When we talk about issues regarding religion we have to be careful, because it is one of the things that fragments our beliefs, our thoughts and our world at large. Much has been destroyed in this world on the basis of religion. Atheism is a form of religion, as is Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism and a horde of thousands of not-so-widely-known doctrines worldwide.

You would have read Ese Walter’s open confession on her affair with the senior pastor of COZA, Biodun Fatoyinbo. The matter has been thrown back and forth. Rev. Biodun Fatoyinbo has been flogged severely by comments from people who are thoroughly pissed at him. Ese Walter on the other hands has been reprimanded, comforted and even advised to go for ‘psychoanalysis’ as a particular commenter put it. I didn’t intend to talk about this issue, but I have a thing or two to say on the matter.


1. ‘Men of God’ are still men:
However disappointing this may sound, it is sadly true. Being called a pastor does not take the chromosomes in your DNA and mutate you into an angel. A pastor is a title that can be likened to other political titles like Prime Minister, President and Governor. It is an office that you occupy based on your qualifications be it spiritual, academic, political or moral merits. That a ‘man of God’ is alleged to have been involved in a scathing scandal like this does not make him a “fake man of God’. While the Judas was widely known to have betrayed Jesus, his role or deed did not erase his popular office as being one of Jesus 12 disciples. You can’t mention the 12 disciples without mentioning Judas. This did not warrant him ever being called a ‘fake’ disciple. Any acclaimed clergyman can become the subject of a scandal. These people were not born with wings. Discipline is what drives their office and the decisions to be set apart towards the service of God and humanity.

2. ‘Men of God’ have encouraged people:
I have witnessed the lives of a lot of people change positively because they have had contact with a ‘man of God’. Drug addicts have become better people. Poor, homeless and destitute people have been helped. Young children have had their education sponsored by these men of God. The ‘unbridled and carefree tendencies’ of humanity have been somewhat checked by majority of these people. Open allegations like this destroy other people’s beliefs and faith.
3.  Ese Walter was not the abused:

This is what I believe. How can you call one week of non-stop sex, abuse. Abuse is the improper usage or treatment of an entity, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. How can she call it abuse when she willingly consented? I am astound by how this confession has become a thing of sympathy. She must have enjoyed whatever she had and wanted more, so she kept going back. Consensual sex is enjoyable.
4. He who is without sin should cast the first stone:

The reason why this is generating so much ire is because he is called a senior pastor of a church. I am forced to wonder if Ese would have made a case on this, if he wasn’t a pastor. If he wasn’t just another rich, married man. I am forced to think about how much she holds marital values and if she had never dated a married man except the pastor. If you’ve never committed fornication before, If you’ve never committed adultery before, if you’ve never cheated on your partner or wife before, cast the first stone.



5. Pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo abused his office:

If the allegations are true, then one can say that the ‘man of God’ abused his office, the oath he took and the mantle placed on his hand. He can be said to have used the power of the position for the wrong motives. This has a ripple effect on all other people who occupy the same positions all over the world.

6. There is more than meets the eye:

Hey but you only heard a side of the story and you’re quick to judge. Listen to the other side of coin. Are there things Ese isn’t saying? Are there other things that transpired between them that have not been stated in her epistle? This is only how far you can know.

7. This is not a legal matter:

This is not a legal issue at all, except was on the grounds of rape. The only person that is expected to make a legal action is his wife, and that would be a case of filing for divorce on grounds of mutual infidelity. Ese enjoyed it thoroughly and regretted her actions

8. Religious leaders are the victims:

These are tough times for religious leaders all over the world. They have to watch their speech and thoughts all over the world. If you are a religious leader and you oppose same-sex marriage in America, you are seen as a demented opinionist who needs primary schooling on what human rights are. If you are seen wearing a turban on your head, you are closely watched because you are believed to have affiliations with terrorists all over the world. If you own a large church, you are believed to be deceiving people and using their hard-earned more to ‘live large’. The world believes that religious leaders should take the blow and remain silent even if they are innocent.

8. Go and sin no more:

The deed is done. Ese has regretted her actions. The ‘man of God’ involved is getting all the chastisement of his life. Names have been called. It’s time to move on. It’s not time to form a movement. It’s time to move forward for all ministries involved. Ese should move on with her life. The accused should look for ways to amend the damage and move his ministry forward. He will lose members but some will remain with him.



9. Let the institution be:

That the leader of COZA has faltered does not make the church an unholy place to worship. We must filter the institutions from the servants in the institutions and let them resolve their conflict as mature people. That a country has leaders who mismanage its funds does not make the all the citizens of the country corrupt. The international society and media do not understand this fact as well.

10. Wisdom is profitable to direct:

Just in case there’s another Ese Walter out there who is having an affair with a married man or another ‘man of God’, rather than destroying more than you can create, find ways of resolving the issues or have the courage to move on. What becomes of the Monica Lewinsky’s who try to battle the Clinton’s – nothing. The world moves on. You might be a Dominique Strauss-Kahn for a moment but your shame gets erased someday and tables turn. Whistle-blowing is awesome but you should always do it with wisdom. Wisdom is profitable to direct. Don’t be another Edward Snowden

Marketer Buys Burna Boy's Album For N10M?

Well that's what they are saying. A source said popular Alaba marketer, Uba Pacific has bought the rights for Burna boy's L.I.F.E album for N10m. Though Uba felt reluctant paying such an amount for a musician who just started, he feels so much relaxed now after selling 40,000 copies of the album the first day alone, a source said. Uba pacific is one of the few marketers who pay artistes well

What I Learnt From Tuface & Annie's Relationship- Blogger Writes

Below is what the blogger wrote about what she learnt from their relationship before they got married.

These two have been dating since the beginning of time itself. Before he became the legend he is today. They have been inseparable, even though, life happened inform of blessings in disguise (if you know what I mean , with baby mama's everywhere). Seeing this two together at last, is just a breath of fresh air.

They dated... he cheated.... they kept it on and off... he cheated again but you  know, when a woman loves my dear, SHE LOVES. Women gave birth for him, (the ones we know off), some couldn't give birth for him, some aborted (could have happened you never know). While all these happened, he had his sights on one particular woman, Anne. Every man has a particular girl he thinks about even though he might have groupies here and there... there is always that one woman who has got his heart.


What I Have Learnt From Them;

If a man is meant for you, he is yours no matter what. Allow time play out, allow him rise above it all (frivolity) .

Just because you gave birth for him doesn't mean he will marry you. Except you are involved with someone who doesn't know what he wants.

Giving birth to a boy doesn't make your mark stronger. If you like born girl, boy, hermaphrodite, dat one concern you. If the guy wants you he wants you, if not well... (...to the left to the left...).

In love, give your all and don't hold anything back. Love is patient, love is kind. When in love, don't love to expect any thing in return. Love because you truly, deeply, sincerely care for that person.

Be independent. Don't be the lady he sees as a burden. Be the type of woman who can hold her own no matter what and you will see that that guy will respect you (even tho it didnt work for the other ladies, at least it did for Annie)

Forget what people might say, think or do. Do what you think is right and whatever you deserve shall come to you.

Always be supportive of your man, no matter how overwhelming it can get. (Look at Calabar girls, they are the true definition of support, patient and forgiveness).

After you have suffered through thick and thin for that guy and he finally proposes, demand from him the wedding of your dreams. Hopefully he is/will be a successful person. You cannot have passed through all that trauma to settle for a bottle of coke?! NEVER!  Annie had has in Dubai.

Finally, I DON'T THINK I HAVE THE STOMACH FOR ALL THESE ROMEO AND JULIET LOVE. I might just get ill or something, or my heart might fail me. Then again, love has a mind of its own, doesn't it?

Blogger Kills Self On His 60th Birthday! Pays For Website To Run For The Next 5 Years After His Death

Na wa o. Find what he wrote on his website before taking his own life below.

Kanye West tells Kris 'Kim is my joy'

In an exclusive interview with his girlfriend's mum, Kanye says no matter what people say, he's staying with Kim because she makes him really happy.

"I could have people saying this is going to damage your credibility as an artist or a designer, and I say I don’t care, I love this woman. Someone could say you know, 'When the paparazzi surround you, how could you ... everyone knows you don’t like paparazzi, but why would you, why would you be with this person? And I’m saying I’m being with this person because, you know I love this person. And she’s worth it to me. She's my joy, and she brought my new joy into the world. There's no paparazzi, there's no blog comment that's going to take that joy from"

“I just dreamed about being next to her,” Kanye tells Kris of his feelings for Kim before they started dating, going on to joke, “I don’t want to start jumping up on the couch or anything” (a la Tom Cruise about Katie Holmes on “Oprah” in 2005).

Watch the videos after the cut...



Later in the interview, Kris asked Kanye what it was like to live amid the chaos of her house. Kanye said "It's like noise at all time happening ... I wasn't used to it, and now when I'm out, you know, I try to get home early, just to be around my family

Nigerian Students Spend Over N100bn Annually On Tuition In Ghanaian Universities

Over 200,000 Nigerian students studying in Ghanaian universities are reported to expend over N100 billion annually as tuition outside sundry fees.

Former lawmaker and educationists, Senator David Iornem, who disclosed this yesterday at a briefing to mark his 64th birthday anniversary in Makurdi, said the figure represented a major capital flight from the country.

According to him, "available figures show that the over 200,000 Nigerians currently studying in Ghana, expend over N100 billion annually on tuition and sundry fees.

This situation arose because official figures show that out of N1.7million Nigerians seeking admission into institutions of higher learning, only 500,000 find placements leaving many with no other option but to seek admission in Ghana.

The federal government should take immediate steps to unbundling the higher education sector in Nigeria by adopting the United Kingdom, American, Malaysian and German models which allows for the establishment of small university colleges by willing entrepreneurs.

"In these countries, small university colleges which may be affiliated to bigger universities are set up by small scale entrepreneurs with adequate resources. I believe that when we kick start this process, more than 500,000 university places will be created in the first year."This can be achieved by involving small entrepreneurs and allowing existing universities to set up satellite campuses. By the third year of starting this system, no Nigerian youth wanting to enter a university, polytechnic or a college of education will have any difficulty or denied the opportunity to development him or herself.

Prof. Iornem added, "it is totally unacceptable to officially shut the door against young Nigerians wanting admission, thereby, leaving them stranded and hopeless; we must return the higher education sector to its days of glory when brilliant young people were sure of their future."

Thousands Of Nigerian Muslims Hold Pro-Morsi Rally In Kano

(AFP) – Thousands of Muslims rallied peacefully in northern Nigeria on Saturday to demand the return of Egypt's Islamist former president Mohamed Morsi, ousted by the military early last month.

Around 4,000 demonstrators carrying banners and placards chanted pro-Morsi songs and slogans outside a mosque in northern Nigeria's biggest city, Kano, an AFP reporter witnessed. Organisers put the number of protesters at 5,000.

Egypt has been rocked by political unrest since Morsi's ouster in a July 3 military coup after massive protests against him.

"We call for the immediate release of president Mohamed Morsi and all political prisoners being detained by the illegitimate Egyptian authorities," protest leader Sheikh Abubakar Mujahid told reporters.

"Morsi must return to his position as president."

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation of 160 million people, is evenly divided between a mainly Muslim north and predominantly Christian south.

It is grappling with a four-year insurgency by Islamist group Boko Haram mainly in the country's northeast.

The violence has claimed some 3,600 lives, including killings by security forces, which launched a military offensive in May to try to end the insurgency

Why We Dislike Nigerians With A Passion – Republic of Benin People

One would have thought that there would be mutual love and respect between Nigerians living in Benin Republic and indigenes of the neighbouring country, especially as they interact on a daily basis in their business and social lives.This is not so, however, going by our investigation which revealed that there is a discreet hostility from the Béninoise to Nigerians living in their country.
Although Nigerians abound in the country -both as students or workers – there is usually an aggressive attitude once a Benin indigene realises that one is a Nigerian. The only people that seem to love Nigerians in the country are their females.
A Nigerian businessman, Promise Nwadigos of Digos Worldwide Limited, told us that he visits Benin Republic regularly because of the nature of his business. According to the civil engineer, the men of Benin do not like Nigerians because their women easily fall in love with Nigerians. He also added that an average Benin man was lazy and expected his wife to be the breadwinner of the family.
He said, "I come here every two weeks because of my car business and also, I import white cement from India and marbles too. It is cheaper to 'clear' the goods here than in Nigeria. Most young men that come here would want to live at ease.
"I'll prefer to date a girl from Benin Republic than a Nigerian girl because they do not ask for money. In a scenario where you would give a Nigerian girl N5,000 her, a Benin girl would rather you feed her, accommodate here and give her N1,000. Benin people are not rich. Most of them are low-income earners; so whatever happens here is mostly done by Nigerians."
Nwadigos added that Béninoise girls like Nigerian men because they (Nigerian men) work very hard and take care of the women.
He said, "They like Nigerian guys because we are hard working and decision makers. The women work the most here. Their men are the type of people that tie wrapper and wait for their women to bring food for them. An average Nigerian guy will work and want to impress his lady with his success. I know that some of the men here in Benin do not like Nigerians. For instance, if you take a cab and they find out you are a Nigerian, they are always aggressive, even with their bikes.
"Their girls like us, they don't just like us because we are Nigerians, they like us because we are hard working, we know what we are doing and we are rich. They love us for our hard work. Most of their men here are taxi drivers and they do not go to school. Some are palm wine tappers, some sell bread. They live a useless life."
However, an estate agent in the country, Cena Rodrick, told us that Nwadigos claims were not true. He stated that Béninoise men were hard working. He acknowledged that there was hostility towards Nigerians but said it was because some Béninoise have been swindled occasionally by Nigerians; especially the Igbos.
Rodrick said, "My clients are strictly Nigerians because I socialise mostly with Nigerians. I have worked with them well. The kind of house an indigene of Benin would be interested in would not pay me as much as a Nigerian's apartment. The reason why Benin Republic people are hostile towards Nigerians is because although there are different tribes like Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo, Benin people see all Nigerians as Igbo. Some Igbo people have come here to dupe Benin people. They work here and do a lot of bad things. So that is why we are wary of Nigerians and the cause of the hostility. Personally, I do not have any problems with Nigerians. It is not true that Benin men are lazy. We take care of our women, not the other way round."
A nationalised Béninoise, Daniel Laleye, said that he had heard about the hostility but had no personal experience and was indifferent about it.
A young man who refused to disclose his identity told us that the Beninoise also disliked Nigerians for economic reasons.
According to him, some complain that the influx of Nigerians into their country has made the price of basic goods go up.
He further stated that while seeking for jobs in the country, a firm would rather choose a Nigerian over a citizen of the country, even if the Béninoise had better qualifications. This, he said, was the reason they did not like Nigerians.
"They have this hatred for Nigerians. To start with, things are expensive here because of Nigerians. We are making things expensive for them. It might not be expensive to us because the exchange rate favours us but it pains them. Some Nigerians do not negotiate the price of goods and services here; they just pay. The reasoning of these Benin people is that all Nigerians have money to waste. So they have this natural hatred for Nigerians," he said.
For Ibro, an Okada rider in Cotonou, there are several reasons why Nigerians are despised in the country.
Ibro said, "I am a native of Cotonou. I was born here, but I shuffle between here and Lagos. I came here to make money. I have lived in both communities. I even arrange girls for some Nigerians when they are around. I collect my cut when I do that. They pay good money for my services. However, it is true that there is hostility from Benin people. For example, some of the girls I have introduced to Nigerians on several occasions have complained to me that some of these Nigerians did not stick to their part of the deal."
He complained about the way Nigerians treat his fellow citizens. He told us that the police too were not particularly fond of Nigerians because some Nigerians sometimes behaved like rascals, a behavior not permitted in the country.
Ibro said, "The truth is there are several tribes in Cotonou. Most of the people in Cotonou are Egun people. These Egun people are the ones that mostly travel to Nigeria and they are not happy the way Nigerians treat them. They are the ones that get menial jobs (like house helps) in Nigeria and they are not treated well. Also, the police might not be particularly fond of Nigerians because when they come here, they forget that they are not in their country where anything goes. Here, we believe in order; so, if you misbehave, the police here will whisk you away. It is always advisable not to resist arrest because the police here are very fit physically; they are also very good runners."
A woman who identified herself as Iya Bola corroborated Ibro's claims. She stated that because things were tough for her at a point, she allowed her daughter to go to Nigeria to get a job. When her daughter came back during Christmas season, she cried. Her14-year-old daughter came back with numerous scars and injuries.
Iya Bola said that when her daughter told her what she went through, she regretted her decision.
She said, "I for one cannot like a Nigerian because of what they have done to me. A friend of mine came to me and said she could get my daughter a job in Nigeria. Because of the way things were for me, I agreed. My child went for a year without me hearing a word from her. Occasionally, I go to meet my friend to ask about my daughter and she always assured me my daughter was fine. In December, when I finally saw my child, I could not help but cry because of the injuries on her body. She explained to me that it was the worst one year of her life as she used to be flogged everyday by her Madam. Is it people like that I will like?"
She said that no matter what her daughter must have done, she did not deserve to be treated like an animal. She said that such injury should be inflicted on thieves, not her innocent child and till date, she never allowed any of her children to come to Nigeria again.

How I survived cancer – Vast of Bracket

Vast of Bracket opened up to Vanguardngr.com about his battle with Lymphoma, (a type of cancer of the blood) and how he survived. Read the interview below..

How did it happen? 
I don’t know what to say, but first of all, I want to give thanks to God. I was very sick. Before I went to the hospital, I attended a couple of shows. I wondered how I was able to perform at the shows because I was seriously ill.

My partner Obumneme Ali a.k.a Smash and I, had series of shows and in a situation where payment  has been made, I had no option than to grace the stage. We decided to round off our shows late last year in order to enable me take care of my health in 2013. But unfortunately, up till January this year, we were still going for concerts. We  even had to travel to Australia to stage a concert.

Then, I was visiting one of the hospitals in Lagos, and that was where I was diagnosed. They carried out all the medical examinations, and when the results came out, the Haematologist advised me to seek for further treatment  abroad.

If you have travelled to America or any Schengen country within two years, you can apply for a Priority Visa and we were qualified to do so. We applied and within four days, the visa came out. We met a friend in the UK who introduced us to his brother who is a Medical Doctor. He assisted us and we met a Haematologist who advised that I should re-run all the tests again.

The only thing we didn’t do was the surgery which I did back home before I was diagnosed of suffering from blood cancer. After everything, they started with the treatment they called “Bone Marrow”. It wasn’t an easy one, it was very difficult. I thought I would loose all the blood in my body but thank God I survived it. After a week, I started having complications, I had to return to the hospital to have blood transfusion after which I felt better. We spent a lot of money. At a point, I was hopeless and was only praying to God for His mercies.

After the second chemotherapy, I started exercising because the doctor advised  me to do regular exercise. However, it was after the third chemotherapy that the pictures I took while in the hospital leaked. By then, I was already bouncing back to life because I passed through the valley of the shadow of death. After the fourth chemotherapy, we shot a video, “Temperature” in London .

I didn’t even know I could do that. I initially thought the cycle would be six but before the fifth chemotherapy, the doctor informed us that it was going to be eight. I got confused at that point and even doubted what they were doing. I thought they just wanted to milk me because it was expensive. My manager, partner and Chief Executive Officer however encouraged me to complete the treatment.

I was only going to the hospital, then to the gymnasium and back to the house. After the seventh chemo, I was told to do a Lumber Punch- they would have to inject my spine. It was done after the fifth chemo and it was very painful. I thought I would be paralysed. I was told the Lumber Punch was necessary to prevent the disease from getting to the brain. At that point, our account was almost in the red.

Luckily, a friend known as Ugonna came to London during my third chemo and was moved when he heard that we had accommodation problem. He later gave us some money to look for one. Ugonna was the only person that assisted me financially apart from the prayers and encouragement of my fans and the media. I did the Lumber Punch and lost a lot of blood.

Two days after, I went to get another chemo. When one undergoes chemo, it kills both the good and the bad cells and flushes out all the blood in your system. So, you have to be refreshing. Imagine losing so much blood after the Lumber Punch and after the chemo. I was almost a dead person. My colour overnight. I remembered what the doctor told me that cancer is not the problem but the treatment.

After a week and a half, I started exercising, taking juice and everything that would help build my blood again. I was finally cleared from the hospital and I thank God for His mercies. A lot of people came to our  house to rejoice with us when we  returned to the country during the week. I want to thank them. The likes of P-Square, Jimmy Jatt, Dammy Krane, KCee, Chidinma, Illbliss, JMartins and many others.

What kind of cancer did you have?
I had Lymphoma. It is a blood cancer. When I asked the doctor what caused the cancer of the blood, he said, nobody knows the cause for now. According to him, it’s like a situation where  a dark complexion couple making a baby and the baby turns out to be an albino and if you are asked to explain why, you cannot tell.

I must say that when I was hospitalized, my partner was doing a good job. He would call the producer and they would make a beat and send it to me. He even made the chorus. I picked one of the songs when I came back and hit the studio. We did one of the tracks, it was fantastic. We did another song and it was good as well, all within two days.

During the seven months of your ordeal, what kept you going?
What kept me going was God. Before I went for the treatment,  I saw myself dying slowly. We got the visa and contacted the Medical Doctor that attended to us. It was no doubt the handiwork of God. This doctor handles only cancer related cases.My family, my manager, partner and CEO were there for me. We travelled together. They made sure I was well taken care of, while my ordeal lasted.

Interestingly,  when the picture I took while in the hospital leaked, I was reading the outpour of love, prayers and soothing words from my fans. Some of them even said, they would die if I die. Then the press guys were there for me. They  were  keeping tabs of my progress and informing my fans duly.  All of these,  did a whole lot in keeping me going. That’s why I got the courage and I know that it has always been God, my family, the media and my fans.

What have you learnt from your experience?
I learnt that life is very precious. No matter what you do and wherever you are, don’t look down on anybody because you don’t know who will help you tomorrow. Another thing is that you don’t have to be scared of death. You have to face the challenge. Live a normal life. If you are scared of death, you will die. At a point, when I got very scared,  the sickness came in full force, but when I started picking courage, it subsided and I recovered

Photos from Funke Akindele's birthday party

Yesterday was Funke's birthday, she turned 37 and i bring you first photos from her surprise birthday party in Lagos

'I Thought The Plane Was Going To America' - Boy Who Hides Himself In Arik Aircraft Tyre Admits

Daniel Ihekina, the young boy who was arrested at the arrival terminal of Lagos' Muritala Muhammed International Airport on Saturday actually thought he was going to the United States Of America - lol!.
According to investigators, the youngster made the desperate move in an effort to travel abroad.
While confessing to FAAN officials after his arrest, Daniel claims maltreatment he received from his parents forced him to attempt to leave them for good. Daniel Ihekina said he was disappointed when he discovered he was still in Nigeria.

The alleged hero of many Nigerians has been handed over to SSS Officials for further investigation as his parents head to Lagos to pick him up.

Daniel Ihekina allegedly hid himself in the tyre compartment of a Lagos-bound Arik Air flight on Saturday. The flight took 35 minutes.

Unknown to him another boy who made the desperate move in 2010 was found dead when the plane landed in America

Nollywood Actor Dele Odule lacks enough respect for elders - Lere Paimo Reveals

Chief Lere Paimo, MFR, popularly known as Eda, is the acting Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (ANTP). The veteran thespian recently visited the Tribune House, in Ibadan to debunk rumours doing the rounds on his state of health. He opened on the crisis rocking ANTP, his take on the new face of the association, among other issues. SEYI SOKOYA who spoke with Eda, brings the excerpts.You are the acting chairman, Board of Trustees of the Association of Nigeria Practitioners (ANTP), what part are you playing as one of the elders to put an end to the age-long crisis dwarfing the progress of the association?
I have always made efforts to ensure that peace returns into our association. My priority is to reform and ensure that the truth prevails. I believe any member who had not or made an attempt to kill one another's child can contest for any post in the association. But some mischievous elements want to remain in power at all costs and this ugly development has pulled the association backward. We are making necessary efforts to correct the wrongs and return to the right track so as to ensure the truth prevails.
It was said that a faction rose against you because you were in support of another candidate. How true is this?
It was not because we supported or routed for a particular faction that caused it; they are the bad eggs who started the whole thing. They were the first to go to court, and if you want to know an irresponsible person, an issue that had not gotten to a stage where the court is the next step, they went to file a case. That is what they do. They were annoyed because they knew we were saying the truth and we will not stop telling the truth; we won't take their lies because they met us in the system.
It seems the former president, Jide Kosoko is also not on your side...
Jide Kosoko is the brain behind the whole chaos in the association. He was the former president of the association who refused to step down despite the fact that his tenure had lapsed. He stood to install his successor, but the elders were against his decision. He cannot dictate to us. Members of the association have the collective right to elect whoever they want in power. According to a Yoruba adage: "Omode ti o ba ni tagba bawo, oko iparun lo n lo."Any young person who tries to deride his elders is heading for destruction.
Are you saying that the elders and the entire association did not support Jide Kosoko's intention to bring in a successor?
No matter how brilliant his successor is, under any circumstances, he does not have the right to impose him on us. The association has the collective responsibility and absolute right to vote in whoever the members want. We did not welcome the idea because he wanted to monopolise the idea. We are against his decision. He is not the type that will be dictating in the midst of us. His pieces of advice or suggestions are always welcomed, but he is always on the verge of making decisions and dictating to the association.
Are you aware that this age-long crisis is affecting the progress of your association?
I want to assure you that the crisis will soon be over, it is normal for an association to encounter challenges . We will regain all what we have lost while the crisis lasted. People know that ANTP still exists. We don't want anybody to panic. Our worry is for those that are nursing fears; I want to use this opportunity to appeal to them. Our major goal is that the truth should prevail and I am sure that we will get over the current challenges and move on to the next phase.
Some members of the association still regard Jide Kosoko as the president. How would you explain this?
It is the novice and members of his faction within the association that still recognise him as the president. His four years tenure had lapsed; he has handed over his office, how could he still be recognised as the president?
Can you tell us your candidate between the duo of Dele Odule and Victor Ashaolu?
It is not that I am supporting anyone, but I will always throw my support behind whoever is ready to serve the association with a pure mind and most importantly, someone who is ready to tell the truth and respects the elders of the association. We don't and will not support a self-centered leader. Comrade Victor Ashaolu has proved and laid a precedent. He is truthful.
Do you mean Dele Odule is not truthful?
I did not say he is not truthful, but respecting the elders is the most important thing.
So he lacks respect?
He doesn't respect the elders enough. He cannot be dictating to us. We won't take that.
What is the  latest about the court case now?
The hearing of the case comes up in few months time and the judgment would be delivered. We will all accept the judgment in good faith. I know God is not behind the wicked, no matter what. I am very sure that the truth will prevail.
What's your advice for the aspiring youths that also want to join the folk?
I want to urge them to always show their talents positively, and most importantly, they should respect the elders. They should have positive minds towards the progress of the association. They must also be conscious of the passion for the job and not crave for money alone.
Taking a look at the trend of the movies we have today, it appears like comedy films have displaced typical traditional movies, are you also looking into this?
That's part of what we are saying-they don't give them to the experts. They consider and work on their thoughts only. I could remember vividly when we started; the moment we had an idea or scripts, we took them to experts and elders to also take a look at them and give their professional advice. We didn't say we know it all. We are urging our crop of young producers and actors to turn a new leaf.  A lot of things are wrong, the titles they give their movies and their costumes are nothing to go by.
Back to why you were here. What do you think is responsible for the rumours doing the rounds that you were paralysed and even dead?
Those who are spreading the rumours are agents of devil. They have been doing this for so long. Despite the fact that they were cautioned, they still went ahead to peddle false rumour on social media that my  health condition had gone from bad to worse and that I am dead. I think one of the things that brought about this is the crisis between the factions of the leadership of the association. They want to tarnish my image because they felt I am supporting the other faction.  As you can see, I drove myself to your office all the way from my house. Can a paralysed or a dead person drive? I want to thank God that their wish did not prevail over me, the rest should be theirs. I am hale and hearty; I am neither paralysed nor dead. I want to use this medium to clear the air and inform my fans and the general public that nothing is wrong with me. I am very sound

HAVE YOU HEARD: Senator's Son Arrested For Robbery

A former Senator's son is being remanded in prison over his involvement in an armed robbery in Abuja.

Informed police sources revealed to the Nigerian Tribune that the former senator's son from Ekiti State had led a gang of armed robbers to rob a colonel, names withheld, at Mbora Estate, where his AK-47 rifle and other valuable items were removed.

The source disclosed that the robbery operation, which took place on July 5, resulted in the arrest of the ex-senator's son, names withheld.

The sources said that in the process of investigation, operatives from the Special Anti -Robbery Squad working on information, subsequently arrested the suspect while a search conducted in his house around Life Camp area, Abuja. The search revealed 16 live cartridges and some other incriminating exhibits.

During interrogation, the suspect was alleged to belong to a notorious armed robbery gang that had been terrorising the FCT and its environs.

The suspect reportedly told his investigators that his friend, an Igbo boy, brought the gun and the cartridges to his house and that the boy had gone back to the East with the intention of bringing more arms and ammunitions.

He, however, denied participating in the robbery attack on the colonel's house at Mbora Estate.

He confirmed that the said Igbo boy brought two laptop computers robbed at gun point to him, which he sold in the GSM Village, Abuja.

Messi and Girlfriend "Antonella" in xavi wedding

Lovely Couples

Funke Akindele honoured as estranged hubby completes Ikeja home (photos)

Different strokes for different folks but celebration seem to be common as Nollywood actress, Funke Akindele and her estranged hubby smiled again!
While the Jenifa star was on Friday, August 9, 2013 honoured producers of Idan Irawo on Africa Magic, her Kehinde Adeola Oloyede throws a house warming ceremony for his newly completed house.
The duo had reasons to smile again as they chart new courses in their new life after their separation.
See photos from the house warming below:

UN, UK, Spain, Others Condemn Borno Mosque Killings

United Nations, United Kingdom and Spain joined others on Tuesday to condemn the killings of no fewer than 44 people in a mosque in Konduga, Borno State on Sunday by suspected Boko Haram members.Others included the Arewa Consultative Forum, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Christian Association of Nigeria and Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal.
In a statement by its spokesperson on Nigeria, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, who expressed condolences to the bereaved families, called on all extremist groups to stop their attacks.
He said, "The Secretary-General reiterates his firm conviction that no objective can be attained through such violence. He calls on all parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and other peaceful means."
In a related statement on Tuesday, the UK Foreign Office Minister for Africa, Mark Simmonds, said the attack was a "contemptible and cowardly" act.
He said, "I strongly condemn the attack on worshippers in a mosque in Borno state, Nigeria, that took place on Sunday.
"Attacking innocent people in a place of worship is a contemptible and cowardly act. My thoughts are with all those who were caught up in the attack, and their families."
Spain's Foreign Ministry, in its own statement, called on the authorities "to advance their efforts to arrest the offenders, probably part of the Boko Haram terrorist group, bring them to justice, and put an end to the activities of the group which threaten the peace and coexistence in the country."
In its own reaction, the ACF described as "sad" the killing of 40 Muslim worshipers in Konduga, Borno State, by the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram.
National Publicity Secretarry of ACF, Anthony Sani, said in a statement sent to one of our correspondents in Kaduna that the killing was not only sad but condemnable.
The Forum noted that apart from being a heinous crime, the incident sought to desecrate the name of a religion of peace, "which is unfortunate."
It, therefore, urged the sect to lay down their arms and embrace peaceful means of addressing their grievances.
The Secretary-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, said the killing of people, whether muslim or Christian or any other person was an abomination.
In a telephone interview with one of our correspondents on Tuesday, he said killing of the people was sad and unIslamic.
He added that a thorough and discreet investigation should be carried out to identify the real perpetrators.
He said, "But whether those who killed people that were praying in the mosque are Boko Haram members or not, I think it is too hasty to name the perpetrators. Let us wait and see. I want to be on the ground to have the first hand information.
"It is condemnable to kill anybody whether Muslim or Christian, whether praying or not praying. Killing anybody is an abomination. It is unIslamic."
In his reaction, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, condemned the attacks by the terrorists in Borno State.
Tambuwal said the incident was "barbaric", expressing shock over the killing of innocent worshipers and security operatives.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Imam Imam, the speaker called on security agencies to go after the attackers and bring them to book.
Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State on Tuesday also condemned the attack.
Shettima, who gave N250,000 to each of the deceased families and N100,000 to owners of the destroyed houses, stated this at the palace of the District head of Konduga.
Noting that Konduga has a very reach history, the governor urged the people to complement the government effort in restoring peace.
The Christian Association of Nigeria described the perpetrators of the attack as "brood of vipers that must be chased out."
The CAN Public Relations Officer in the Northern States and Abuja, Mr. Sunny Oibe, stated this in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, it appealed to Muslims to cooperate and join in the crusade to chase "the evil men out of the system."
He said, "We condemn the attack on the mosque in its entirety because it is a crime against humanity and this is what we have been saying that when evil is perpetrated anywhere, it is against all humanity. We condole with the family of those who lost their beloved ones in this trying moments.

UNUSUAL WEDDING: Couple Weds During Bike Race

A cycling-loving Arizona couple tied the knot on Saturday during a grueling 100-mile mountain bike race. 

In January, Julie Bass, 45, and her fiancé, Rick Bucher, 40, were planning their wedding - a medium-size ceremony in Sedona, Arizona, a town famous for its beautiful red sandstone formations. But overwhelmed by the ballooning expenses, Bass had a change of heart.
“I’ve never been that traditional or dreamed of wearing a white wedding dress,” she told Yahoo! Shine. “Rick and I both love cycling and we were planning to enter the Leadville 100 race in Colorado, so I said, ‘Why not get married in the middle of the race?’”

Bucher, however, was skeptical. “Julie and I are experienced cyclers but the logistics of marrying in the middle of a race seemed unrealistic,” he said. Bucher had reason to hesitate. After all, the race is a 100-mile cycle across the rough terrain of the Colorado Rockies, starting at 10,152 feet and elevating to 12,424 feet.
“But I had to agree that it was the best way to represent our relationship and our passion for cycling and the outdoors.” So the two planned to wed at the mid-point of the race, at the highest elevation area, the Columbine Climb

I'm Not A Tribalist, I Had An Intimate Relationship With Bianca Onoh Ojukwu - Ex-Minister, Femi Fani Kayode

Former Minister of Aviation and one-time PDP hit man, Chief Femi Fani Kayode took to twitter to prove he is not a tribalist by saying he once dated an Igbo Lady, Bianca Ojukwu.

Since the deportation of Igbos by the Lagos state Government, he has written a few of articles about the Igbos and the Yorubas.
See his tweets below

Keita Wins Mali Presidential Election

Mali's presidential election has been won by Ibrahim Boubacar Keita after his rival admitted defeat in the second round.

Ex-Finance Minister Soumaila Cisse said he had congratulated Mr Keita and wished him good luck, AFP reported. Mr Keita, 68, served as prime minister from 1994 to 2000.

Mali has suffered a year of unrest including a military coup and a French-led military intervention to oust Islamist rebels from the north.
No official results have yet been released following Sunday's runoff, however, reports had put Mr Keita well ahead.
In the first round Mr Cisse polled just 19% against Mr Keita's 40% and most of the other candidates then gave Mr Keita their endorsements.
Mr Keita - known as IBK - will now oversee more than $4bn (£2.6bn) in foreign aid promised to rebuild the West African state.
A 12,600-strong United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Mali (Minusma) is currently deploying, as France begins to withdraw its 3,000 troops.
After the first round Mr Cisse had complained of widespread fraud, with more than 400,000 ballots declared spoiled.
However, Mali's Constitutional Court rejected the allegations and the head of the EU election observer mission, Louis Michel, praised the electoral process for its transparency.
On Monday, observers from the EU and the African Union again praised the way the second round was carried out.
"Malians should be congratulated because it seems to me they are regaining control of their democratic destiny, which is in fact nevertheless a tradition that exists in Mali," said Mr Miche

PDP/NGF Crisis: Obasanjo’s Peace Talks Fails

The efforts of former President Olusegun Obasanjo to douse the tension among the governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have failed.Obasanjo met with the governors on Tuesday night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja to intervene in the crisis rocking the Nigeria Governors' Forum.
A major decision at the meeting was to persuade both Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; and his Plateau counterpart, Jonah Jang, to step down for a neutral person as Chairman of the NGF.
We learnt on Wednesday that the two governors had refused to step down.
Amaechi and Jang are both claiming the chairmanship of the forum since its controversial election three months ago. The NGF has since split into two with Amaechi and Jang controlling different factions.
Before the Tuesday's meeting, which ended at a few minutes after 3am, Obasanjo had earlier met with the governors on Monday night.
The two meetings were said to have centred on discipline in the PDP, the NGF crisis and sundry issues among which are the crisis in Rivers State; matter of automatic tickets for political office holders, and lack of cohesion among the governors.
On Wednesday, it was gathered that some of the governors in the Jang faction of the NGF raised the matter of persuading both Jang and Amaechi to step down but those in the Amaechi Camp objected, saying that the matter was beyond what could be discussed at the meeting.
Though a source at Monday's meeting said that there was hope that the issue would be resolved, he said that the matter assumed a new dimension at the resumed meeting on Tuesday when both parties refused to shift ground.
A source close to the two governors, on Wednesday, said, "There was nothing like that. Both of them have agreed to stick to their mandate."
He added that though Jang was "almost ready to step down because those who voted for him were at the meeting, Amaechi however said he needed to meet those who elected him since his supporters cut across party lines during the election."
The source added that Obasanjo had agreed to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan on the matter.
Speaking through the Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Yiljap Abraham, Jang said, "The meeting is still inconclusive."
The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, described Amaechi as a defender of democratic principles and would not hesitate to yield to the opinion of the governors that voted him as their chairman.
Semenitari, who spoke with one of our correspondents in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, explained that the governors had not asked Amaechi to step down, so he remained the NGF chairman,
She said, "What I know is that Nigerians are aware of the democratic process by which the chairman of the Nigeria Governors' Forum was picked. As far as I know Governor Chibuike Amaechi, I also know that he believes that the democratic process should not in any way be one that we will treat with levity.
"Everybody who knows Amaechi knows that he does defend democratic principles. What I am certain of is that the Chairman of the NGF as of today is Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
"But if all of the governors, especially the governors who voted for Governor Amaechi, ask him to step down, that would mean that the majority of the governors have decided that there should be a new chairman. Naturally, he would concede to his colleagues. But today, that is not the case."

Insecurity: Obama Invites President Jonathan For Talks

United States President Barrack Obama has invited Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan for talks on issues bordering on terrorists activities in the African continent among others .

Disclosing this to State House correspondents in Abuja, United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Wendy Sherman who is leading a delegation to the US-Nigeria bi-national commission meeting, said all was set for both leaders to meet soon and discuss issues bordering on security, governance, education and agriculture.

According to her, while she came to the presidential villa to deliver a letter from Obama to the Nigerian president, Jonathan was "gracious enough to accept the letter, adding that we look forward to working further on the basis of the letter".

She said, "The binational commission is really an invaluable tool for both nations to work together for a strong relationship, especially to support Nigeria as it moves forward to tackle its challenges. Our presidents are likely to meet soon. I will leave that announcement to the President of the United States and the President of Nigeria.

"The issues before the bi-national commission range from security to governance, education and agriculture. Nigeria is a very important country, not only here on the continent, but around the world. Nigeria has served on the Security Council of the UN and it is likely to do so again in future.

"It is the head of the Committee on Democracy and has been leader in so many ways, like in ECOWAS as a peace-keeper all around the world. These are the partnerships that are important to us. Secretary Kerry had a meeting with President Jonathan in Addis at the AU summit, and so, we look for every opportunity to strengthen our relationship.

We Demanded N87bn, Not N92bn, ASUU Replies Okonjo-Iweala

The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Wednesday faulted the statement credited to the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, that the union demanded for N92bn, describing the claim as false.
ASUU said it never demanded such amount as earned allowances in the 2009 agreement it reached with the Federal Government.

Okonjo-Iweala had on Wednesday in Minna, said the Federal Government couldn't meet the N92bn allowances as demanded by ASUU.

The univerisity lecturers, in a statement by the University of Ibadan branch chairman, Dr. Olusegun Ajiboye, described the amount mentioned by the minister as "a the imagination of the minister."

Ajiboye explained that the earned allowances, the union and the governemnt calculated in the 2009 agreement, amounted to N87b, which covered allowances for three and half years for the lecturers in the nation's universities.

He said, the N87bn was a compromise made by ASUU to scale down from N127bn.

He added that the N87bn was computed based on 15 per cent of the yearly recurrent expenditures of some nation's universities.

The statement stated, "I want Nigerians to ask the minister where she got her figure of N92bn from. There was never a time that ASUU made a demand that is up to N92bn. I think the N92bn is just the imagination of the minister. "But that is not to say that this government did not enter into an agreement with us. This is a government that signed an agreement with us on January 24, 2012 to the effect that they would inject N100bn as funding into the universities in the first one month and that before the end of 2012, they would inject another N300bn.

Weirdest Guinness World Record - Meet The Spoon Man

Most world records are pretty standard - the world's smallest man (21.5 inches tall), the world's oldest twin sisters (103 years old), or the world's highest standing jump (4 feet 10 inches onto a platform) are all interesting facts to know.

But other records are totally wacky, like the biggest jigsaw puzzle made of tents or the largest gathering in Sumo wrestler.


There is also Etibar Elchiyev who posed with more than 50 spoons magnetised
to his skin during his attempt to break the Guinness World Record for 'Most Spoons On A Human Body.'

During his cutlery feat, Elchiyev appeared serious and somber as the spoons hung randomly from his chest and shoulders in front of a room of onlookers

280 Dead After Egypt Police Storm Protests

Security forces stormed the Cairo protest camps of ousted president Mohamed Morsi's supporters in a long-anticipated assault Wednesday that officials said led to almost 280 deaths across EgyptIn response to the violence, the army-backed interim government imposed a month-long nationwide state of emergency and curfews in Cairo and 13 other provinces.
Authorities said 278 people were killed, including 43 policemen, with many of
the deaths in Cairo but with the violence spreading from the capital and claiming lives across the country.
The state of emergency went into effect at 4:00 pm (1400 GMT), with what will be a daily 11-hour curfew beginning at 7:00 pm.
Gory photographs and video images of the Cairo bloodbath dominated social media networks, as world powers called for restraint and condemned the show of force by security forces.
Hours after tear gas canisters first rained down on tents of protesters in the sprawling Rabaa al-Adawiya camp in eastern Cairo, an AFP correspondent counted at least 124 bodies in makeshift morgues there.
In a field hospital, its floors slippery with blood, doctors struggled to cope with the casualties, leaving the hopeless cases, even if still alive.
The health ministry said 235 civilians were killed in the Cairo crackdown and in subsequent clashes across Egypt.
The interior ministry added that 43 security personnel had lost their lives.
Among those killed in Cairo was 17-year-old Asmaa al-Beltagui, daughter of wanted Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed al-Beltagui, a spokesman for Morsi's movement said.
And Britain's Sky News said a veteran cameraman, Briton Mick Deane, was shot and killed while covering the violence.
Security officials had originally spoken of gradually dispersing the sit-ins over several days but the dramatic descent on the squares shortly after dawn came as a surprise to many.
The violence prompted vice president and Nobel laureate Mohamed ElBaradei to resign, saying his conscience was troubled over the loss of life, "particularly as I believe it could have been avoided."
"It has become too difficult to continue bearing responsibility for decisions I do not agree with and whose consequences I fear," he said.
By Wednesday evening, a security official said Rabaa al-Adawiya was "totally under control. There are no more clashes."
The authorities later said calm had been restored across the country.
Earlier, hundreds of Morsi supporters were given safe passage out of the camp, some flashing victory signs as they left through a security corridor.
A security official confirmed to AFP hundreds of people were taking advantage of the safe passage offer but said that some diehards had stayed behind to fight on.
Shortly after dawn, witnesses and an AFP correspondent said security forces fired tear gas before surging into Rabaa al-Adawiya, sparking pandemonium among the thousands of protesters who had set up the camp soon after Morsi was ousted in a July 3 military coup.
Men in gas masks rushed to grab each canister and dunk them in containers of water, as the main stage near the mosque of the camp blared anthems and protesters chanted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest.)
In the smaller of the protest camps, at Al-Nahda square in central Cairo, police said they took control of the square after two hours.
Television footage showed flattened tents, as women and children flanked by police and army troops were led out of the square.
Dozens rounded up in the dispersal were shown sitting on the ground, handcuffed and surrounded by security forces.

Fashola reacts to Amnesty International’s report on Badia community

The Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has denied allegations by Amnesty International that his government is displacing some residents by pulling down their buildings as untrue.

A report by Amnesty International had said that an estimated 9,000 residents of Badia East were forcefully evicted from their homes without any form of compensation nor housing alternatives.

However, senior officials in the Lagos State government had claimed that the area was a rubbish dump.

Amnesty International’s Nigeria researcher Oluwatosin Popoola said, “The effects of February’s forced eviction have been devastating for the Badia East community where dozens are still sleeping out in the open or under a nearby bridge exposed to rain, mosquitoes and at risk of physical attack.”

Governor Fashola, however, claims that his administration plans to solve the problems by building 1,008 flats in Badia, so that people will stop living on refuse dumps.

The governor said the Badia community had for long been ignored and his administration had decided to pay attention to the community.

“Badia East community has been in existence since I was a little boy and nothing has been done to help their condition.

“The easiest thing to do is to take a bulldozer and bulldoze a slum because governments don’t create slums, it is people who do.

“What we did was to bulldoze away their  difficult conditions. My administration has good plans for the Badia people by providing good roads, drainages and primary healthcare centres and good water for the community,” Fashola said.

''Why I Hate Christianity'' - Charly Boy

 Charly Boy recently shared an article on his thoughts about religion in general, especially the Catholic Church.
Read below and let us know if you agree;
The first 20yrs of my life, I seriously had this dream of being a priest. I was overfed with an overdose of religion which has always been a very serious business in my family. You dare not be late for morning mass or else you get the whipping of your life, yes my father was that strict, no nonsense when it came to going to church or anything spiritual. That's where I'm coming from, we were a family that prayed together and were very staunch Catholics for that matter.
When I turned 16 I became an altar boy, at that time that was the coolest thing to be, considering years of going to bible classes and regular confessions. Eight months into the spiritual things as an altar boy, I made a big goof; I drank the priests wine and ate a bunch of Holy Communion enough to fill me up. I figured I could be more spiritual by that action, but I got expelled as an altar boy, needless to say how scandalized and angry my father was then, OMG.

By the time I turned 20, I've had enough religion to last me two life times. By 1974, I left to further my studies in the USA, I was overjoyed because for the first time, I was going to be on my own. I was really carried away with my new found independence. Being an adventurous young man I started dabbling into not only the occult but with metaphysics, Buddhism, astrology, magic and all that Jazz. However, I still believe I was fundamentally a Catholic by birth, but the catholic fate has suddenly become boring and old fashion for me.

 When I read that controversial book, "In God's Name", all the negativity I started to feel about the Catholic Church became magnified in my mind. What about the s.e.x scandals about priests and little boys. Hummmmmmm! I am aware that the Catholic Church is not a perfect body, and doesn't claim to be one. Of course it is plagued with the same corruption, scandals and sin as any other organization. Last night as I was watching CNN, the Pope's visit to Brasil was being beamed to the world and all of a sudden, there it was, "who am I to judge as long as they walk in the light of Christ" Pope Francis on Gays. As reflexes would have it, I jumped out of my seat and hugged my TV, funny ha ha. Not because homos.e.x.u.a.l.i.t.y. has been part of my advocacy through the years but because I feel that every adult has a right to make their bed and lie on it as they choose, and who the hell are we to judge. I have always said that it is really not our place to judge those who do not fit our view of normal. So once again the church is attempting to evolve in order to keep up with the rest of civilization. That is how a religion survives. Its belief has to be flexible enough to stay somewhat relevant to current or the public will abandon it.

 Ever since the Popes election, my man has taken actions that seem to be very 'unpopelike'. He even used public transport as a cardinal, he lives in a smaller quarter, he asked for blessing before blessing the crowd which gathered in St Peters square on the day of his election. But my people, what is stranger than Pope France's action have been evangelicals' reactions all over the world. Never before has a Pope become so widely accepted by Protestants and evangelicals. It's a proud day for Catholics and all mankind. Finally a Pope who doesn't see himself as equal to God, unlike our men of god down here. It is really amazing. Every Pope in the Catholic Church's past has had a mastery over catholic rhetoric, because theoretically they always say the right things. But Pope Francis has decided to lead with his actions. Before delivering his message at the Holy Thursday Mass, Pope Francis spent time on his Knees washing the feet of young women incarcerated at a nearby prison. This is the first time a Pope has ever washed the feet of women, not to mention that one of the women was a Muslim, which is another break in papal tradition. In the holy book, the bible calls us to be the light to the world if Christ is to be present to the world. This is why Pope Francis' way should be imitated for imitating him we make Christ visible and that is what influences others to walk in the way of Christ. So much to be said for our so called "men of god" in this neck of the woods who strut around as if they are God's gift to mankind, most of them bunch of con men and fraud stars who are continually ripping off unsuspecting Nigerians, living in fancy houses, building universities their congregation can't even afford for their children and buying private jets because their God is not a poor God, as Nija's hand over their pay checks in return for a miracle because they have bought into the Hocus-pocus that is Pentecostalism. Just look at our churches today, tell me those priest, pastors or our so called men of god, who makes Christ visible. Jesus needs us to make him Visible and present in this troubled world. Blessed mother Teresa is a perfect example of showing us the love and mercy of Christ in the millions she cared for. The gospel calls us to imitate Christ and it is in the way we live that the gospel of Jesus gets proclaimed, that is how we speak Christ to a world that does not know him.

I am very scared for this Pope, he is a little too Christ like for his own good. There are still some die hard winches, vampires in the Vatican. I fear assassination, probably by the very people who call themselves "devout". If any Pope can show us what Jesus was saying, I think this one is the one. At least I hope so. I am impressed with this Pope not for his Catholicism but for his Christianity. As I lay in the comfort of my room watching the Pope's visit to Brazil, it was clear to me that Pope Francis will go down in history as the greatest Pope ever, I just pray that he lives out his Pope ship for many years to come as to spread his light and make our lord Jesus more visible in the world. More than 3million people where at Copacabana beach for the re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross and farewell mass. This world Youths Day smashed previous attendance records and goes down in the record books as one of the best attended papal events ever.  In short, this Pope is a rock star. Here is a Pope who speaks the language of the people; In fact in Rio he kicked his penchant for simplicity, humility and accessibility into high gear. The security operatives were all overwhelmed by zealous pilgrims, he insisted on leaving the windows of his car down so he could extend his arm to those seeking his blessings. Countless babies kissed, photo ups with adoring faithfuls only added to the pontiff reputation for being a man of the people, and all of this took place in the roughest side of town, a crime ridden zone in Rio.

 Pope Francis is now standing up to the Mafia. First the Vatican honoured Rev Giuseppe Puglisi, killed 20yrs ago by mobsters for preaching against the Mafia, as a martyr. Pope Francis himself demanded that Mafia members abandon their "evil ways" especially those who exploit their fellow humans via human trafficking, drug dealing and prostitution. "They cannot make our brothers slaves; let us pray that these Mafiosi convert to God". Hummmmm na wa, if the Mafia decides to take Pope Francis out in retaliation for his words against them, I pray that there's a Pope Francis army out there ready to throw down.  If the Pope manages to mobilize all of Italian society against the Mafia, his days maybe numbered, but he will be unable to do so, and as a result I pray that the Mafia won't remember him. They say the only thing needed for Evil to exist is for good men to do nothing. I am glad that he is doing something. He looks and sounds to me like he has a beautiful spiritual light burning  inside of him and is preaching goodwill for all and trying to turn around the corrupt so they too can walk in the sunlight of the spirit. I really admire him for standing up to the Mafias. I recognize the Popes effort in trying to bring a better image and name to Christianity.  Anyway you flip it, the Holy Father is full of surprises, born of true and faithful humility, at another occasion, he declared that all people, not just Catholics, are redeemed through Jesus, even atheists. "Those people must still do good. Infact, it is in doing good that they are led to the one who is the source of all that is good" In essence he simply restated the hope of the church that all come to know God, through his son Jesus Christ. Pope Francis is saying more than ever before, that Christ offered himself as a sacrifice for everyone. That has always been a Christian belief, but rarely do you hear it said by Catholics so forcefully, and with such evident joy. And in this era of religious controversies, it is a timely reminder that God cannot be confined to our narrow categories. Thumbs up for my man Pope Francis, nothing do you.

Nigeria: A Country So Corrupt It Would Be Better To Burn Our Aid Money

Please read this article culled from dailymail.co.uk about Nigeria.

Nigeria is not quite the most corrupt country on earth. But according to Transparency International, which monitors international financial corruption, it is not far off — coming a shameful 172nd worst among the 215 nations surveyed.

Only countries as dysfunctional, derelict and downright dangerous as Haiti or the Congo are more corrupt.

In theory, Nigeria’s 170 million-strong population should be prospering in a country that in recent years has launched four satellites into space and now has a burgeoning space programme.


Moreover, Nigeria is sitting on crude oil reserves estimated at 35 billion barrels (enough to fuel the entire world for more than a year), not to mention 100 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.

It also manages to pay its legislators the highest salaries in the world, with a basic wage of £122,000, nearly double what British MPs earn and many hundreds of times that of the country’s ordinary citizens.

The oil industry is highly corrupt, with 136 million barrels of crude oil worth $11¿billion (£7.79 billion) were illegally siphoned off in just two years from 2009 to 2011

No wonder the ruling elite can afford luxury homes in London or Paris, and top-end cars that, across West Africa, have led to the sobriquet ‘Wabenzi’, or people of the Mercedes-Benz.

Yet 70 per cent of Nigerians live below the poverty line of £1.29 a day, struggling with a failing infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages because of a lack of petrol refining capacity, even though their country produces more crude oil than Texas.

And that poverty is not for want of assistance from the wider world.

70 per cent of Nigerians live below the poverty line of £1.29 a day, struggling with a failing infrastructure and chronic fuel shortages

Since gaining its independence in 1960, Nigeria has received  $400 billion (£257 billion) in aid —  six times what the U.S. pumped into reconstructing the whole of Western Europe after World War II.

Nigeria suffers from what economists call the ‘resource curse’ — the paradox that developing countries with an abundance of natural reserves tend to enjoy worse economic growth than countries without minerals and fuels.

The huge flow of oil wealth means the government does not rely on taxpayers for its income, so does not have to answer to the people — a situation that fosters rampant corruption and economic sclerosis because there is no investment in infrastructure as the country’s leaders cream off its wealth.

Nigerian police can often be easily bribed to look the other way in a country where corruption in Nigeria is endemic

Corruption in Nigeria is endemic — from parents bribing teachers to get hold of exam papers for their children through clerks handed ‘dash’ money to get round the country’s stifling bureaucracy to policemen taking money for turning a blind eye.

It is at its most blatant, perhaps, in the oil industry, where 136 million barrels of crude oil worth $11 billion (£7.79 billion) were illegally siphoned off in just two years from 2009 to 2011, while hundreds of millions of dollars in subsidies were given to fuel merchants to deliver petrol that never materialised.

Whether the country is ruled by civilians or soldiers, who invariably proclaim their burning desire to eradicate civilian corruption, it makes absolutely no difference.

The huge flow of oil wealth means the government does not rely on taxpayers for its income, so does not have to answer to the people

The military ruled Nigeria between 1966 and 1979 and from 1983 to 1999, but if anything, corruption was worse when they were in charge since they had a habit of killing anyone threatening to expose them.

It is estimated that since 1960, about $380 billion (£245 billion) of government money has been stolen — almost the total sum Nigeria has received in foreign aid.

And that even when successive governments attempt to recover the stolen money, much of this is looted again.

President Sani Abacha, a military dictator who ruled in the Nineties, had accrued a staggering $4¿billion (£2.58¿billion) fortune by the time he died

In essence, 80 per cent of the country’s substantial oil revenues go to the government, which disburses cash to  individual governors and hundreds of their cronies, so  effectively these huge sums  remain in the hands of a  mere 1 per cent of the Nigerian population.

Political power is universally regarded as a chance to reap  the fortunes of office by the ruling elite and its families and tribes.

The most egregious example was President Sani Abacha, a military dictator who ruled in the Nineties and accrued a staggering $4 billion (£2.58 billion) fortune by the time he died of a heart attack while in bed with two Indian prostitutes at his palace in the nation’s capital, Abuja, in 1998. Abacha’s business associates did nicely, too — one of them deposited £122 million in a Jersey offshore account after selling Nigerian army trucks for five times their worth.

Public office is so lucrative that people will kill to get it. Nigeria has 36 state governors, 31 of whom are under federal investigation for corruption.

In one of the smallest states, a candidate for the governorship occupied by one Ayo Fayose received texts signed by the ‘Fayose M Squad’ — and it was clear the ‘M’ was for ‘Murder’ when they stabbed and bludgeoned a third candidate to death in his own bed.

By the end of its term of office, the British Government will have handed over £1 billion in aid to Nigeria.

Given the appalling levels of  corruption in that nation, this largesse is utterly sickening — for the money will only  be recycled into bank accounts in the Channel Islands or Switzerland.

Frankly, we might as well flush our cash away or burn it for all the good it’s doing for ordinary Nigerians.