Saturday, 13 July 2013

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Welcome to Olokunbola's Blog

Made Men Music Group Ensign Emma Nyra Acquires New Jeep CherokeeMade Men Music Group Ensign Emma Nyra Acquires New Jeep Cherokee

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:58 AM PDT

Emma Nyra 1
Just a few days ago, we were celebrating Iyanya's new Mercedes Benz and his manager, Ubi Franklin's new Infiniti. It was no surprise that a few heads were turned as other label mates Emma Nyra & Bass Okon had been 'left out of the equation' but yesterday, Emma Nyra announced the news of her own new ride – a 2010 Jeep Cherokee.
Check on it!

Just To Speak At An Event Nigerian Company Pays Former US President Bill Clinton ₦100M

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:47 AM PDT

Just to speak at an event in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, a Nigerian company paid the former American President, Bill Clinton, $700,000 (over ₦100 million), the New York Times disclosed on Thursday. The New York Times did not disclose the name of the company which handed Clinton the huge sum of money.Clinton, since he left office, has visited Nigeria many times, the last two being a guest speaker at the launch of Eko Atlantic City and Thisday Awards.
America's influential newspaper did not also disclose when the money was paid but said Bill Clinton made $17 million (₦2.5 billion) from speeches last year alone. The disclosure was made as the newspaper revealed also that Hillary Clinton will be paid $200,000 to offer pithy reflections and Mitch Albom-style lessons from her time as the nation's top diplomat."The $200,000 she commands appears to be comparable to what Bill Clinton receives for speeches delivered in this country, though Mr. Clinton — who earned $17 million from speeches last year — has collected much more outside the United States, including the $700,000 he was paid when he spoke to a company in Lagos, Nigeria," The New York Times said.
Some of the businessmen who had invited Bill Clinton to Nigeria include Nduka Obaigbena, publisher of ThisDay newspaper whose workers protested in May 2013 for being owed months of unpaid salaries.As for Hillary Clinton, the newspaper said next month, Mrs. Clinton will speak at a meeting of the Global Business Travel Association in San Diego (a convention her husband addressed for $250,000 last June), and in the fall she will deliver speeches at the conference of the American Society of Travel Agents in Miami.
Nigeria is Africa's second richest country, but the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, said last year that 100 million out about 160 million Nigerians live in abject poverty.

Shut Up Karen, You Used Dildo In BBA- Fans Tell Karen On Twitter

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:42 AM PDT

This is what happened. Some people have been tweeting and saying Ghana's representative, Selly has infected Nando with STD after they had unprotected sex in the house. Then Karen said something about holding herself tight when she was in BBA and some of her followers found it insulting, lol. Check out all the tweets below.

Toyin Lawani's 21-Year Old Fiance Shows Some Abs

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:38 AM PDT

                                                                         Fantastic!

Funke Akindele tells us why she rarely talks about her husband

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:35 AM PDT

                             
 Funke Akindele aka Jenifa, rarely talks about her family especially her husband. She would rather share photos of her on movie sets or photos of friends than share that of her husband. Well, she has responded and I couldn't agree less with her response...See response below:




Simply put, when people know "too much" about ya, they take ya for granted, puh-lease!

Mercy Aigbe & Her Daughter Wear Matching Outifts

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:31 AM PDT

Mercy Aigbe
Today, Saturday, 13th July is Nollywood Actress Mercy Aigbe's daughter, Michelle's birthday and to celebrate with her, both mother and daughter decided to rock the same outfits. Who do you think rocked it better?

Mercy Aigbe Daughter (1)                 Mercy Aigbe Daughter (2)

See A Picture Of Obafemi Martin's Customized Dinning Set

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:28 AM PDT

                                                                    creative!!!

Rihanna goes to the mall wearing only a swimsuit and sheer top

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:22 AM PDT

Rihanna opted to go trouser-free, wearing only a sheer long-sleeved top and a custom made swimsuit as she shopped in Monaco yesterday Friday July 12th. #Rockstarchic. See more photos after the cut...

Funny pic: Cossy Orjiakor chilling with her bestie and her husband

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:17 AM PDT

Lol. That guy must be feeling like a G! See Cossy and her boobs making him feel royal...:-)

"if i dont allow daddy to do it, he sleeps with my younger sister- 13 yr old girl

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 10:12 AM PDT

One night in June 2011, in a quiet neigbourhood in Ajangbadi, Egbeda area of Lagos, a 35-year old man sold his soul to the devil. While the residents slept peacefully, Adeleke Adetayo, who lived in a small apartment with his two children, woke up his first daughter, 13-year-old Bola (not real name), and asked her to pull off her pants.
That night, Adeleke, a commercial bus driver, raped his daughter as the little girl cried in agony.
"Blood was coming out from my body. He used a white singlet to clean it. I was crying but he told me to stop so that the landlord would not hear. My sister was in the room at the time. My father started sleeping with my younger sister last year," the girl told our correspondent as she looked down at her toes.

Bola's younger sister, Tolu (not real name), is just 10 years old.

In any African culture, sleeping with one's child is the most abominable form of incest. But once in a while, reports of such incidents come up.

Such traumatic experience most times leaves a very damaging effect on the abused child and it may take substantial effort by specialists to make such child live a normal life.


The case of Adeleke's daughters will bring tears to many eyes.


Unlike their peers who have the love of their parents and live normal lives of going to school and coming back home to the warm embrace of their parents, Bola and Tolu close from school every day with the trepidation of what awaits them at home.

They rarely have good food to eat as their father barely provide for their feeding when he comes back from his commercial driving job.

Their mother moved out in 2012, leaving them at the mercy of a predatory father who rarely had time for the children's welfare.

The children's mother, Kemi, spoke with our correspondent on the telephone on Saturday.
Her voice shook as she expressed shock at what her husband had done to their daughters.

She told Saturday PUNCH, "I moved out last year because it became clear I was not safe in his house anymore. My children and I were suffering. He was not taking care of us in anyway. We rarely had food to eat.
"He would beat me at the slightest provocation. When the beating was too much and it got to the stage where my mother was the one bringing food for us to eat, I took my children to live with my mother and I moved to Ibadan.

"But when my husband learnt about where my children were, he went to take them from there. I had no idea that while I was with him, my husband was already sleeping with his own children.

"I have not been able to eat anything since yesterday that I was informed about what that man did to my daughters. I am really sad."
Did Kemi starve her husband of sex when she was still with him?
She replied, "Sir, you need to understand that my husband was the kind of person who wanted sex every day. After two children, should we still be acting like children when it comes to sleeping with each other?
"He would ask for sex almost every day and anytime I said no, he would beat me up. Sometimes, he would pour urine on my head just to humiliate me for turning him down. He called me all sorts of names.
"I was a hairdresser, but he said I should stop the work, because he thought I was prostituting myself in the process. He called me prostitute at the slightest provocation. All these were the reasons I decided to leave him. I have seen my daughters a number of times since I left their father's house, but they never told me about what he was doing to them."
When our correspondent spoke with Kemi, she was still in Ibadan at the time, promising to come for her children the following day.

Asked what she would say to her husband when she saw him, Kemi said, "I don't want to see that man again. I just don't want to lay my eyes on him. That man is the devil himself."

On Monday, Kemi finally came for the children who were kept in custody of the Ikotun Police Division, pending the outcome of the test conducted on them at the Igando General Hospital and their father's arraignment.

She broke down in tears as she pleaded to take them with her.

When our correspondent saw the two children, they did not seem to understand what was happening.

The older victim spoke quietly, looking at her toes the whole time.

The young girl explained that she did not know what their father did with the white underwear he used to clean her up when he forced himself on her.

She said, "I don't know what he does with the singlet. Every time he rapes me, he uses the singlet to clean me up. He does it like once in a week."Anytime I don't allow him to do it, he sleeps with my sister instead but he would not give me money for food."

The older girl said she was crying after her father refused to give her money for feeding after turning him down one particular day. A neighbour saw her and asked what the problem was, she told the neighbour the truth.

The neighbour placed an anonymous call to a woman she knew in a not-for-profit organisation, who in turn informed Mrs. Esther Ogwu, founder of the Esther Child Rights Foundation.

On Friday, June 5, 2013, the police were informed and Adeleke was apprehended by men of the Ikotun Police Division.

Adeleke did not utter a single word of denial.
"It is true I was sleeping with them. Sometimes, I just have the urge to do it. When I cannot control myself, I sleep with them," he said in a tape recorded by the NGO officials who first confronted him.

These were the words Adeleke offered in defence when he was asked by Ogwu, the police and his landlord, why he slept with his two young daughters.

Our correspondent visited Adeleke's landlord, Mr. Amos Omooye, a pastor, who magnanimously gave an apartment in his house to Adeleke and his wife to live in for free.

Omooye told our correspondent, "Adeleke has been living in my house for the last 13 years. I never suspected he could do something as heinous as this.
"I had no idea he was doing that to her daughters whom I christened. They were born in this house.
"During one of the evangelical outreach programme of my church years ago, I met Adeleke and his wife living in a very terrible uncompleted building. I had to take them in to live in my house without paying. They have been living here ever since."
Omooye said Adeleke once made effort to get a rented apartment, but was kicked out by the landlord of that house because he and his wife fought endlessly.
The pastor said, "I took them back in when they were kicked out. I could probably have seen signs of what he was doing to his daughters if not because of a terrible illness I had since 2011. I was bedridden for much of the last two years, which is the period he was sleeping with the kids.
"But I recall that in the last few months, the older daughter was always crying. I called her one day and asked what was wrong. She said the father was treating them badly. I asked if the two girls wanted to see their grandmother, they said yes and I facilitated a visit to the woman.
"They later came back with clothes, food and other things. I never for once thought that the children were going through something that terrible. When the police came here to arrest Adeleke, I asked if it was true he was sleeping with his children, he said 'yes'. I could not believe it, I was shocked."

Ogwu, who has been handling the children's case since Adeleke's act was unearthed, told our correspondent that the mother had initially been apologetic about taking custody of her children instead of them being handed over to government officials for rehabilitation.

She told our correspondent, "Even though I have seen cases like this before, it still surprises me that with the abundance of brothels around, a man can still take his own children and rape them, not once but over a period of two years.

"When I asked him why he did it, Adeleke simply said, 'I just like doing it with them anytime I have the urge'. I was shocked. At the moment, we cannot rule out the option that he probably was sleeping with the children for fetish reasons.

"It is also sad that the mother, who could have noticed what was happening to the children, did not when she was still with the father. You have to understand that the rape started when she was still with the man.

"This is why parents need to maintain a cordial relationship and communication with their children so they will have the courage to confide in them.
"My organisation only counsels parents on ways to prevent the abuse of their children, we usually leave the victims' counseling part to the government. This is why we are planning to hand these children over to the government."

Ogwu said counseling helps to improve the chances of young victims like Adeleke's children to live normal lives.

But she added that even at that, the memory of the molestation they had gone through would likely live with them for the rest of their lives.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ngozi Braide, said Adeleke's case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department.
"He is going to be charged to court as soon as possible," she said.

Adeleke was indeed charged to court on two counts of defilement in a family court at Ikeja Chief Magistrate's Court, Lagos.

Before his case was assigned, our correspondent met a woman, said to be Adeleke's girlfriend at the court premises.

"To say the truth, when I asked Adeleke if he indeed did it, he admitted he did it. But what has happened has happened. The devil can use anybody," the woman said.

Nigeria has not set up a database for paedophiles as is the case in some developed countries. This may make it difficult to track multiple offenders who are often let off the hook after out-of-court settlement by families.

A report by The PUNCH in April revealed that victims' families often opt to settle out of court in order to put the shame of the incident behind them.

Unlike the often-reported cases of children being raped by outsiders or neighbours, Adeleke preyed on his vulnerable daughters.

It may never be known the extent of the damage that has been done to the lives of Bola and Tolu.
In the meantime, the family court has ordered that the children should be transferred to a juvenile home at Idi-Araba, Lagos for a period of three months.
Punch

Flashback: Wole Soyinka Says “When You Marry An Illiterate Woman, You Make Stupid Decisions Like Jonathan”

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 04:50 AM PDT

Prof. Wole Soyinka
An Analytical Piece With Prof. Wole Soyinka He Has Obliged To Sharing This With As Many Nigerians As Possible. Please Share This With Friends And The General Public.
1. It's No More about Subsidy Alone.
a] The American President has only TWO aircraft, our president has 9[Nine] in his fleet and was voted money recently to buy ONE more! Making it TEN!
b] The British prime Minister has only TWO official cars, our president has 23 in his pool and only recently voted 300Million Naira to buy TWO more bullet/bomb proof ones!
c] Senators in the US earn about $6,000 dollars monthly and that's about what a university professor, or a director in a state department, or a doctor with 20years experience, or a teacher with 25years experience earn too, but Here in Nigeria a senator earns 245 million Naira per annum! That's the salary of 25 vice chancellors, or 50 medical doctors, or 60 directors, or 500 school teachers!
d] The US, almost the size of Africa with about 500million people have 24 ministers, and 32 government parastatals and commisions, Nigeria has a whooping 42 cabinet ministers, and over 50[Fifty] government parastatals!
e] America with about 500million people and more mileage to drive consumes 39million litres of petrol daily, Nigeria with 150million people 60% out of which live in remote areas, yet our government tells us we consume about 35million litres of petrol daily! 
2. Is Subsidy Really the Problem of Nigeria?

'When you marry an illiterate woman as a wife, you will definitely make stupid decisions like jonathan': wole soyinka spoke!

Our Dear President GoodLuck Jonathan has become a tyrant, a shandel, a shame, he has become the No.1 Enemy of Nigeria. Is this because we, Nigeria are yet to adopt to CHANGE? Change that only Jonathan can see? The End will justify everything. Pray for Nigeria! Pray for our Beloved Country!

I Am Fighting Amaechi Because Patience Jonathan Is My Jesus Christ; Says Hon Bipi

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 04:40 AM PDT

The notorious Hon. Evans Bipi, the Rivers State lawmaker leading the campaign to remove Governor Rotimi Amaechi from office to please the Presidency, despite their denials, has exposed his sponsor(s).
This same Hon Bipi, Olokunbolablessing.blogspot.Com observed, was caught on tape describing to some thugs how he gave Hon Chidi Lyoyd and others deadly punches, before one of his aide shouted: "Hey stop the recording!" This goes to show that Bipi lacks the basics to be a lawmaker in any ideal society.

Anyway, in his latest unguarded outburst, Hon Bipi said:
He is fighting Governor Amaechi because the governor "insulted" the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, who he said is his Jesus Christ on earth.‬

‪"Why must he be insulting my mother, my Jesus Christ on earth?" Mr. Bipi asked the fellow who apparently hugged him to restrain him from further violence.‬

‪When asked for explanations, Hon Bipi told Premium Times that the first lady is indeed his Jesus Christ on earth.‬ ‪"I have no mother, I have no father. She (Mrs. Jonathan) is my mother," he said.‬

‪Mr. Bipi, believed to be a cousin of the first lady, explained that he "lived" with her for several years.‬ ‪He said he could not bear the governor insulting the president and the most important woman in his life.‬

Meanwhile, the Rivers State government has dared Hon Bipi and his sponsors to provide evidence of any kind where Governor Amaechi ever insulting President Jonathan or his wife.

[Advice Needed] I Have Only Female Kids, My Husband Wants To Throw Me Out! What Should I Do?

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:56 AM PDT

images (23)
Dear Blessing,
My husband threatened to leave me if I don't give him a male child. He has been frustrating my kids and I since the last time I gave birth to the fourth girl. What should I do?
Mrs AZ.

[Advice Needed] She Broke Up With Me Because I Am Not Spiritual, What Should I Do?

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:50 AM PDT

imagesconfusd
Dear Blessing,
My girlfriend left me because I am not spiritual. She said that although I am a good person, but I don't understand spiritual things. How do I get spiritual to win her back?
Femmy.

[Advice Needed] His Ex-Girlfriend Sleeps Over In His House, She Even Has The Key To The Apartment, Please Help!

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:41 AM PDT

images (16)
Dear Bessing,
My boyfriend's ex-girl has the key to his apartment. She even pass the night in his house, while my boyfriend said that they are just friends and nothing is going on between them after their breakup. I am scared, what should I do?
Ada.

Commissioner For Justice Loses Dad

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:28 AM PDT

The Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, Mr Ade Ipaye, yesterday lost his 81-year old father. He was buried today at Abari cemetery according to Muslim rites. May his soul rest in peace.

Photos from the Future Awards nominees reception hosted by the US Consulate

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:26 AM PDT

The 2013 Future Awards nominees party held on Thursday July 11th at the U.S Consul General's residence. More photos when you continue...

Photo of the day

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:12 AM PDT

P-Square's elder brother Jude Okoye shows off a lot of dollars as he contemplates buying a new ride.

Omotola at the Future Awards Nominees reception

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 03:08 AM PDT

Omotola was invited to present the nominations certificate to nominees of the class of 2013. The event had many celebrities and the US Consulate general, Jeffery .I. Hawkins and his wife as hosts.

Comedian Chris Rock set to divorce wife of 16 years?

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 02:59 AM PDT

Another Star magazine report...:-) Read it below...
From Star Magazine,
Chris Rock may be a comedian, but the current state of his 16-year marriage is no laughing matter – because the actor and his wife, Malaak Compton-Rock, have called it quits!
The shocking news surfaced in late June when Chris' brother, Tony Rock, made light of the situation during a performance at the Hollywood Improve Comedy Club. "Tony poked fun at his brother's divorce during one of his acts. An audience member tells Star. "He said, "I'm not supposed to tell y'all this, but Chris is getting a divorce. I'm so happy because now we can get p***y together. I didn't like her anyway."
Sources say Chris,48, grew tired of having to answer to 44-year-old Malaak. "There's been many arguments behind closed doors," spills the insider. "Malaak is very controlling and demanding."

Trailer For Nelson Mandela's Biopic "Long Walk To Freedom" Is Out (Video)

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 02:53 AM PDT

A first glimpse of the long awaited movie that tells the extraordinary story of Nelson Mandela's life"Mandela Long Walk To Freedom" is out. The movie tells the extraordinary story of Mandela's life, from his childhood in the rural village to being imprisoned on Robben Island and then becoming the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994.
Idris Elba plays the the part of Nelson Mandela while Naomie Harris plays Winnie Mandela in the biopic.
The first words from the movie are "I have walked the long walk to freedom. It has been a long walk and it is not over yet."

Elba is already the favourite to win an Oscar for the film in 2014. Even though he has never met Mandela but he said "It meant so much to me, it's such a massive opportunity to be part of a true legend's life and more importantly, the film re-educates people on this legend. I never met Mr. Mandela because he was very ill, so our interpretation of him was without his personal influence. But the script is such a good script and obviously it comes from his book, and the book speaks for itself."
Elba admits he looks nothing like Mandela but judging by the trailer, he certainly studied Mandela's voice.


Naomie Harris admits playing Winnie Mandela was the toughest thing she has ever done. She said, "For me, that was the most challenging role that i've ever played and i absolutely loved playing her; right from this innocent woman to this warrior figure."
The film will be released January 3 2014.

SHOCKER: Three Okada Riders Burnt To Death In Lagos State For Alleged Robbery. (Graphic Image)

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 02:45 AM PDT


Three suspected okada riders/armed robbers who it was alleged had been terrorizing the residents of Ikotun area of Lagos State, were caught and set ablaze by an angry mob.
The suspected robbers were killed after their robbery operation was foiled by a member of the Oodua People's Congress, OPC, vigilante group in the area.
The robbers, who allegedly operated with the aid of motorcycle, met their untimely death when they attempted to rob a woman, a wholesales recharge cards seller, at Governor's Road, Ikotun at about 7 p. m. on Wednesday. 
It was alleged that one of the robbers pointed a gun at the woman and demanded for her bag containing recharge cards and sales proceeds for the day which turned to an argument and hence call the attention of passersby and an OPC member. They were caught and set ablaze by the angry mob with the petrol they got from their motorcycle.
According to the eyewitness, before the police could intervene the mob had gathered the suspects together and burnt them beyond recognition along with their motorcycle.
However, sources at Ikotun Police Division station confirmed the incident and said no arrest had been made in connection to the jungle justice meted out to the suspected robbers.
When will this jungle justice stop in Nigeria? Whose crime is greater....the one who stole or one who killed? When are Nigerians going to stop lashing out their frustration on petty thieves and use their common sense? May God have mercy on us all!

A MUST READ: Our Leaders Have Gone Mad Again

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 02:41 AM PDT

Fellow Nigerians, please allow me to quickly confess that the title of this column is not my full creation. It is only an adaptation of the original title of the extremely hilarious play, Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again, by Olawale Gladstone Emmanuel Rotimi, who was famously known as Ola Rotimi. Rotimi was one of Africa's greatest playwrights and Directors. Believed to have been born in Sapele, on April 13, 1938, to a Yoruba father, Engineer Samuel Gladstone Enitan Rotimi, and an Ijaw mother, Mrs Adolae Oruene Addo, Ola spent his early years at St. Cyprian's School, Port Harcourt from 1945-49.

Interestingly, he would later return to Port Harcourt many years after sojourning at home and abroad to take up appointment at the University of Port Harcourt. His name came readily to mind as I sat down to put this piece together. You will soon know why...

The reason must have been that the main protagonist in the eye of the storm and the middle of the Red Sea, the Governor of Rivers State, has Rotimi before his surname of Amaechi. I'm very sure the paths of Ola Rotimi and Rotimi Amaechi must have crossed at some point at the University of Port Harcourt where Professor Ola Rotimi was Head, Department of Creative Arts and Rotimi Amaechi was a student in the English Department from 1983-87. In any event, there is no way Rotimi Amaechi would not have read Ola Rotimi's popular play, 'Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again'.

That is not all. I believe Rotimi Amaechi would have been radicalised by the great literary works of those days. Whatever traces of radicalism I still possess today I'm sure I got from hanging around the Ori Olokun Theatre in Arubidi, Ile-Ife and the Pit Theatre of the then Institute of African Studies, University of Ife Campus, where Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi and others held sway. My theory, therefore, is that Rotimi Amaechi is not your archetypal Nigerian politician. I have made him a case study since I first met him as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly about ten years ago. If my memory serves me right, I met the great poet, Gabriel Imomotimi Gbaingbain Okara in his office that day.

That encounter stuck with me for a long time and my interest in Rotimi Amaechi developed from that moment. Even as Governor, Amaechi portrayed a different gait. He dressed simple and maintained a casual mien. His motorcade was always brief and brisk while he sat most times I saw him by the driver. His accessibility is also baffling to me. He replies most of his text messages and checks on his friends out of the blues. On one occasion, I sent a message about a young man who had started a mobile library project in Port Harcourt and needed support from the Ministry of Education. I was surprised when Governor Amaechi said I should invite the gentleman for lunch with us and Mrs Oby Ezekwesili who was visiting from her duty post in Washington DC. The librarian later drove out with us to a public event where the Governor sought out the Commissioner for Education and promptly handed over the project to her.

How can I forget how Governor Amaechi walked like a ghost into my London home on my 50th birthday in 2010? I was shocked to my bones because I had not told him about it. He came alone in a cab and left alone after spending several hours with my family and friends. You could not see any of the presumed airs of a Nigerian Governor around him. He repeated the same feat when he drove, almost incognito, in to the Ovation Carol and Awards ceremony at the Eko Hotel & Suites in Lagos last December.

Please, let me give one more example of this amazing and down-to-earth politician. My great friend and brother, Babatunde Okungbowa, has been having a running battle with a chronic kidney problem for years. He's one of Africa's greatest music producers. OJB, as he's fondly known by fans, had produced the monumental hit song, African Queen, by the prodigiously talented 2face Idibia.
But we live on a continent, and in a country, where spectacular talent does not necessarily or adequately translate to riches. We tried within our limited resources and contacts to gather our bits and pieces together to sort out OJB's predicament. I personally worked the phones talking to those I thought might be of help including some top politicians. The feedback from all quarters was deafening silence.

I learnt some useful lessons about our attitude to charity. The response on social media was like: "why are you guys disturbing us when one of you can simply write off the cheque?" It then occurred to me that the decline in our educational system has affected our souls almost beyond redemption. The assumption is that once you're famous you must be stupendously wealthy without commensurate responsibilities. But eight out of ten calls I get are usually bad news requiring desperate assistance. I can imagine what ordeal the Mike Adenugas face daily.

In all honesty, I did not reach out to Rotimi Amaechi because I felt he had more than enough problems on his plate. I also felt since OJB was not from his state there was no reason to bother the embattled Governor. But as fate would have it, some younger colleagues approached Amaechi and instantly he offered to contribute to the Save OJB campaign. There was no long story and no unnecessary protocol. To those who asked what was so special about OJB, I say confidently that he's our icon. And icons are treated with special care and privilege everywhere in the world. Poor Americans contributed to making Barack Obama the first Black American President. Nigeria will never move forward if we wait only for the rich class to do everything for us.

I have deliberately gone through this long preamble to establish a few facts. One, that I'm a fan of Rotimi Amaechi. The support he's enjoying today was not by accident. He worked laboriously for it. I have been in activism since 1978 and in politics very actively since 1982. I have interacted with all shades of politicians and I'm proud to say Rotimi Amaechi is a rare breed. There is always a reason to be biased and I have more than enough for him. This does not make him a perfect human being. No nation or state is governed by Saints but good ones are run by performers. Amaechi is one.

I have been in a room where Amaechi was grilled like a Christmas turkey by very senior publishers and was very pleased with the manner he responded to all questions. Many have called him a tyrant but not all tyrants are negative. It is in the nature of traditional politicians to wait for hand-outs from public officers; money that should have been used for general development. They often get angry if a leader comes with better ideas of how to do things. Amaechi's master-plan of building a modern state out of the present squalid one is part of his major problem.

The second point I want to make is that Amaechi has done nothing to warrant the all-out attack unleashed on him by those pretending to be working for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan. Their strategy should be clear to Mr President; they needed to paint Amaechi bad in order to gain relevance. These guys have succeeded in poisoning the mind of the President almost beyond repair. On a personal note, I would be wary of a Minister who desperately wants to be a Governor and fights the incumbent the way he does because the motive is crystal clear. Someone also needs to tell such a Minister of a Yoruba folktale that goes thus:

Once upon a time, an elephant went berserk in a particular village. The elephant caused so much havoc that the king ran away with his queens. But there was this brave hunter called Afifilaperin who came from a neighbouring village and boasted he could easily kill the elephant and the village would instantly return to normal. At the appointed time, the hunter came out just as the elephant was busy destroying everything in sight. Everyone ran helter-skelter but the hunter stood ramrod in the market place waiting anxiously for an encounter with this crazy elephant. The elephant must have sighted the lone figure and wondered who the man was who did not recognise its supremacy. The elephant approached the hunter and surprisingly the man stood calm. A few villagers peeped from wherever they were hiding. As soon as the elephant jumped to crush the hunter, the man quickly removed his cap, dodged to the side and hit the elephant with the cap. Behold, the elephant collapsed. "Impossible," many screamed in bewilderment. But true it was.

The hunter soon climbed on the evil elephant and beckoned to the timid villagers to come closer. He was joyous in victory. The people spilled in like locusts from every direction, including the king and his family. Words travel at the speed of light. At that moment the hunter felt he was king. Some hefty men lifted him up in the sky and carried him round and round the village till it was dusk. The king even invited him to a dinner of original pounded yam and fresh bush-meat washed down with concentrated palmwine, and gave him a nice room in the palace. The excited hunter was pleased with himself.
He woke up the following morning expecting to see a crowd as usual to hail him like they did last night. He couldn't believe how desolate the village had become. When he asked around if another elephant had come out of the wilderness to destroy the village, the palace people whispered that he indeed was the elephant. The logic was if he could kill such a ferocious elephant with an ordinary cap, it won't take him much to mangle any human. That was how Afifilaperin learnt that his day of glory was only for one day.

Seriously, there is a lot to learn from this tale. If I were President Jonathan, as I love to say, it is not too late to quell this towering inferno. I will not allow opportunists to pile up enemies on my behalf when I need all the friends I can get. The tension in Nigeria right now has reached the atrocious level of the last days of military rule in 1998 under General Sani Abacha. It has even surpassed that of the Yar'Adua cabal that some of us came out fearlessly to fight on the streets of Abuja.

What would it profit the President by destroying Amaechi on the mere rumour that he's nursing an ambition to be Vice President to a nebulous President-in-waiting? Does the President expect to remove Amaechi with only five legislators at this time and age and hope to get a part in the back? Does he expect the Governor not to defend himself in the face of threats to even his life at this stage? I understand that even his security has been drastically reduced in a classic display of recklessness! Is power worth all this trouble?
I will repeat here that Amaechi has told everyone who cares to listen that he's not fighting the President but that he's ready to duel with those bandying the name of the President to cause mayhem and commit atrocities in Rivers State. The fears expressed by Professor Wole Soyinka about the personal safety of Amaechi are real. What is going on in Port Harcourt is tantamount to full-scale lunacy. Nigeria can't afford another round of political murders like it happened during the June 12 crisis. We thought such days will never return. This was how we started our journey to perdition in the First Republic. We must also avoid the type of commotion going on in Egypt out of the stupid obduracy of some leaders.

The President has obviously missed many chances for reconciliation. He should have invited Amaechi into a room to iron out reality from neurosis. I'm sure the crisis would not have festered to the magnitude it has reached now. My simple advice to President Jonathan is that he should stop listening to warmongers and spend more quality time with peacemakers. If he reads his Bible well, he would see how peacemakers were described as the "sons of God." I really don't know how to describe his new best friends. This was not the same Meek and Pious Goodluck Jonathan many Nigerians thought they knew. I beg him in the name of God to return to his old self. Even if his right eye causes him to sin, he should pluck it pronto.

Nigerians want peace and not war. They will never succumb to agents Lucifer.
By Dele Momodu
(dele.momodu@thisdaylive.com)

EXPOSED: TB Joshua Predicted Al-Mustapha's Release Inside Aso Rock

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 02:28 AM PDT

What many did not know is that the founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, Prophet TB Joshua had told Al-Mustapha nearly 20 years ago, when he was still working with Gen Abacha, that he (Al-Mustapha) will spend several years in prison but come out alive.

So when Al-Mustapha regained his freedom on Friday he was immediately driven to the Prophet's residence to pay homage to the great man of God.

Below is what TB Joshua said about his relationship with Al-Mustapha:
"I got to know him many years ago when a petition was addressed to General Bamaiyi who was the then Chairman of the NDLEA. As you know, several efforts had been made by my detractors to bring me and my ministry down. One of those efforts was that petition. I was arrested for investigation and it was later discovered that it was a tissue of lies. I spent nine days with them for investigation and they found the whole thing to be a fabrication. From there, I was taken to Aso Rock (City of Power) to see the president. It was there that I met Mustapha.

I was able to reveal to them who I am by telling them what was to come as a prophet. One of those things I mentioned to them and to Mustapha in particular, was what he went through, though he did not believe me then. That was why when it came to pass, I was the first person he remembered. I told him that he would spend several years in prison and would be finally released which no one else had ever told him.

That is why you see him coming here as his first port of call. Where there is no vision, people perish.
I am surprised you are asking me why he is coming here first. When you look into your archives as journalists, you will find many stories in the past about my visit to Aso Rock, (City of Power) while Bamaiyi was Chairman of NDLEA. Many magazines and newspapers published my visions and prophecies on the government and the presidency.

When you know your picture of tomorrow, it will impart a strength to endure your present difficulty. When you know what you are passing through now will not last long, you will endure it. This is vision; this is prophecy. This can only come by revelation. This is what the Bible means by, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29:18). I will leave you here."
Recall that a Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos on Friday discharged and acquitted Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late Gen. Sani Abacha for the murder of Kudirat Abiola.

One-Eyed Goat, Born On A Farm In India [Photos]

Posted: 13 Jul 2013 02:24 AM PDT

One-Eyed Goat

A one-eyed goat that was born on a farm in Perundurai, Erode district, drew crowds to the farm as curious people paid a visit to see the rarity.
The farm owner, Kandasamy, 45, who has been breeding goats for the past 10 years, said that this was the first such occurrence.
"I have never witnessed such an incident in the past," he said. "A female goat gave birth to two calves, one of whom has just one eye right in the centre of its forehead."
Vetenarians pointed out that it was an anomaly and the outcome of a genetic disorder.
According to Coimbatore VOC Park Zoo director Dr K. Asokan, it's a genetic disorder and caused due to chromosome changes in the goat's system. "It's rare to see such goats in the village,he said.
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