Photos: Genevieve Nnaji & ‘Husband’ Cover Allure Magazine

Check out latest photos of Genevieve Nnaji and her partner in Road To Yesterday movie,Oris Erhuero.

Watch out for the couple on the cover of Allure Vanguard latest edition.

Immigration warns foreigners to keep off Bayelsa governorship election

 Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has warned foreigners resident in the state to stay away from the Dec. 5 governorship election.

The Comptroller of NIS in the state, Mr Sule Wunti, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenogoa on Monday.

UNN Students seek minister’s intervention over N75,000 laptop fee

Students of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, UNN, Monday urged the minister of education, Malam Adamu Adamu to intervene in the compulsory laptop fee slammed on them by the University authority.

New students of the University,described the N75,000 compulsory laptop levy as arbitrary.

CBN extends BVN registration for Armed Forces

Following the request by the Minister of Defence, Dan Ali Mohammed that the Central Bank of Nigeria should extend the registration of Biometric Verification Number for men and officers of the Nigeria Armed Forces, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) today approved the extension to enable them access their salaries.

Enenche Enenche: Did Akume, Tivs underdevelop Idomaland?

One of the dreaded diseases that have plagued the mindsets of so many of my people, is addressing issues from sentimental points of view and not sound ideological points.

Issues are supposed to be ideologically driven if it must stand the test of time. Sentiments don’t see far, sentiments don’t see beyond certain limits and boundaries.

Yahaya Bello - Kogi APC candidate fills governorship nomination form, submits

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Kogi State, Yahaya Bello has filled and submitted his nomination form, reports say.

Bello’s completion of the form means that the party has concluded on its choice of candidate, despite the controversy caused by his nomination, The Nation reports.

IPOB Attacks MASSOB Leader, Uwazuruike Over Hypocrisy on the Arrest of Nnamdi Kanu

Chief Ralph Uwazurike

 

The movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, yesterday, lashed out on the leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, accusing him of hypocrisy and deceit over his call for the unconditional release of the incarcerated director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government.

Synagogue tragedy: Absence of defendants stalls trial of T.B Joshua, others

The trial of founder of the Synagogue Church of all Nation, SCOAN, Prophet TB Joshua, his trustees and two engineers was stalled on Monday due to the absence of three of the defendants in the trial.

Joshua and his team have been facing ”legal hammer” over the collapsed building within his church that killed about 116 persons in 2013.

The Lagos State Government had charged the defendants – Registered Trustees of the church, Hardrock Construction Company, Jadny Trust Ltd, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun over their indictment.

The Coroner Inquest set up by Lagos State and presided over by Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, had in its verdict of August 7, 2015 ruled that the Synagogue Church and its contractors were essentially negligent in the fatal collapsed of the six-storey guesthouse.

However, the scheduled arraignment before Justice Lawal Akapo was stalled on Monday as three out of the five defendants to be arraigned were not present.

PmNews reports that at the commencement the proceedings, Justice Akapo, observed that the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants were absent in court.

The prosecuting counsel, the Lagos State Attorney General, Adeniji Kazeem, however told the court that the defendants could not be served with the court process because they have no verifiable address.

“We confirmed that Synagogue Trustees and the Hardrock Construction Company have been served. The other defendants in the matter could not be served because their addresses are not valid,” the AG said.

Giving reasons for their absence, Counsel of the 1st and 2nd defendants, Oluseun Abimbola, told the court that the defendants have not been served with the information of the matter by the Ministry of Justice.

“The State cannot say that they don’t have valid address because they were served in previous proceedings. The engineers, Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun were even arrested by the Police and charged before a Magistrate court where they were later released on bail,” Abimbola said.

After listening to both counsels, Justice Akapo cautioned the defence counsel to remind them that the matter is a criminal one with a sensitive nature.

“Service in any proceeding is fundamental and anything done outside of this is a nullity.

“The defence counsel is hereby directed to oblige the prosecution team with valid addresses of the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendant within 72 hours,” the judge held.

The judge thereby adjourned the exparte motion for substituted service till December 11.

JUST IN: APC put Yahaya Bello’s nomination on hold, calls for emergency meeting

Report reaching from the APC Secretariat in Abuja has it that the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has put on hold the nomination of Yahaya Bello as the governorship candidate of the party in the coming re-run in the state.

The party has consequently called for an emergency “stakeholders” meeting for 3pm with the aim of resolving impasse.

The nomination of Bello had sparked protests in Kogi State with many saying he is not fit to govern the state.

More to come…

African Queens at Miss World 2015 “Dances of the World Audition”

Seneo Mabengano (Botswana)

We are eagerly counting down to the grand finale of the Miss World 2015competition set to hold on Saturday, December 19. The Miss World 2015 Dances of the World audition is one of the most anticipated aspects of the competition where the contestants get to show off their National Costumes and the unique dances from their countries.

Muslims and Christians Welcome Pope to Central African Republic As Hope for Reconciliation Soars

Pope Francis in Central African Republic

 

Pope Francis arrived yesterday in the Central African Republic, with Muslims as well as Catholic representatives welcoming him at Bangui airport in the hope that he would promote reconciliation in the country torn by inter-religious strife.
A representative of the country’s Muslim community, El’ Adji Tchakpabrede, said the Pope had not come to Central Africa for the Catholics, but for Central Africans.

Babangida Opens Up on His Relationship With President Buhari, Abiola and Abacha

 

Former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida

 

The former Military President has opened up about the nation's polity in his most incisive interviews in recent times during which he fielded questions on everything from the agitation for Biafra Republic to President Muhammadu Buhari.

Babangida who spoke to The Interview in Minna, in a two-hour interview in the December edition of the magazine out next week.

On Biafra, said: “We do not need this distraction now…” but added that, “I will vote for an Igbo president in 2019, if I find one.”

Update: Arms procurement: EFCC arrests Dasuki’s top staff

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is reported to have arrested a top staff who worked with the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), over the arms contract scandal.

Also reported to have been arrested are 20 other staff members that worked with the ex NSA.

Landlord stabbed to death while trying to settle street fight in Lagos

Tragedy struck at the Olorogun Street, Odo Eran, in the Itire area of Lagos State, weekend, as a landlord, one Alawu Lateef, in an attempt to settle some dispute among hoodlums who were engaged in a street fight, was stabbed to death by a 21-year-old, PUNCH reports.

According to reports, the hoodlums, numbering about six, had stormed the area from Osindero Street to meet one Balogun, who they claimed owed them about N30, 000.

Paucity of funds: Enugu shelves December council polls

The much awaited Local Government election, expected to hold in Enugu State, this December has been put on hold. This is as PDP stakeholders from across the state have approved the setting up of Local Government Caretaker Committees for the 17 local council areas in the state pending the time adequate budgetary allocations would be provided in the 2016 state appropriation for the exercise.

Abah John Abah: Tackling the mirage of power supply

Some few years ago while approaching the off-port limit of the Lagos Apapa Port in a Nigerian gas tanker, my expatriate boss took a dig at me.

We were on duty at the Navigation Bridge and the night view of the Lagos coast line was just appearing on the horizon. He had already planned his bad joke to have the maximum effect.

Lagos police arrest man who sold bars of soap as phones

A 54-year-old man, Michael Bisa, was over the weekend arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, in Lagos for allegedly selling fake phones to unsuspecting customers in the Oshodi area of the state.

Speakers to partner Presidency in actualizing autonomy for states legislature

Speakers of the 36 Houses of Assembly in all states of the federation yesterday resolved to work with the Presidency in order to achieve financial autonomy and independence for the states’ legislature, vowing to pursue this resolve to a logical conclusion, this time round.

Tension As Group Threatens to Revolt Against Supplementary Election in Kogi State

Abubakar Audu and James Faleke

A Kogi-based political interest group, the  Kogi Equity Front, has said they would protest any attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC)  to foist a governorship candidate on them.

ThisDay reveals that the group made the threat in statement signed by its Director- General, Pastor Stanley Ajileye, giving conditions to INEC and the party, saying it was opposed to supplementary election or any move to hold another primary election.

Ben Murray-Bruce : Could This Be a Shade at Buhari?

Etisalat – Nurturing Talents & Supporting Creativity at Ake Arts & Book Festival 2015

This November, Nigeria‘s most innovative and fastest growing telecommunications company, Etisalat, further demonstrated its commitment to creativity and talent development in the country through the support of this year’s edition of the annual Ake Arts & Book Festival, a gathering of outstanding authors and writers in the historic city of Abeokuta, Ogun State.

On the sponsorship, Modupe Thani, Head, Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, said the Ake Arts & Book Festival like the Etisalat Prize for Literature, reiterates Etisalat’s vision of promoting passion, nurturing talents and providing a platform for Africans to communicate ideas and tell their own stories.

Lola Shoneye, Director, Ake Arts and Book Festival, during the event, said the festival which is in its third edition has grown in size and importance. “Our sponsors have in no small measure contributed to the success of this festival, sponsors like Etisalat and others don’t just throw money at us, but they also participate at the festival“. She disclosed that the festival has welcomed over 200 guests in the last two editions, held over 150 events, and directly reached more 10,000 people. This year, she added, the festival’s guests came from 18 countries across the world.

During the opening ceremony, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the governor of Ogun State, commended the effort of Etisalat and other sponsors of the festival for their contribution to the growth and development of the coming generation. “The importance of literature and arts cannot be over-emphasised. So, its gives me great pleasure to see people from countries within Africa and beyond gathered here to promote literature and arts“, he said.

See photos below:

Etisalat Nigeria, also announced the nine books that made it into the longlist for the 2015 edition of its pan-African Literary Prize tagged ‘Etisalat Prize for Literature’. This year’s longlist of nine books was chosen from a field of over 100 titles submitted from across the continent.

Kobe Bryant to Retire After this Season!

Kobe Bryant is retiring from basketball at the end of the current NBA season. The 37-year-old acclaimed Los Angeles Lakers all-star guard announced the news via a self-penned open letter, published on www.theplayerstribune.com

Excerpt:

Singer buys drinks for all students at popular Los Angeles bar

Justin Bieber might just have garnered more friends than he bargained for after he surprisingly popped into a college bar in Los Angeles on  November 27 and bought a round of shots for everyone.