Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Glo Double Your Recharge Promotion

Glo Double Your Recharge Promotion. (Recharge with e-TopUP)

Glo Nigeria has introduced “recharge for Double” promotion to reward Globacom customers with 100% bonus on EVERY recharge made from N100 and above. It is a timeless promo as customer gets rewarded INSTANTLY any time, any day s/he recharges from N100 and above.

The new promo is being introduced to reward loyal customers with double value for every recharge (physical or E-Top up) made on the Glo mobile network from N100 and above. If you recharge N500, you get guaranteed reward of additional N500 to the N500 value of the recharge amount.

The FREE airtime can be used to make onnet calls ONLY i.e Glo to Glo calls. The bonus has same day validity i.e the bonus expires on the day you receive it.

Your promo account will be depleted first if you make onnet calls. Your main account will be the one to be depleted if use your line for other things such as onnet SMS, offnet and IDD SMS and calls.

To buy e-TopUP, log on to www.mysmsnaija.com , at the top left corner of the website, click on the desired link of airtime request then follow the on-screen instruction to make pmt online.

Forward your transaction ID, ur name, amt paid and e-mail with your Glo phone no: i.e: 5162e1e3a1a48-noibi abiodun-N5,000 -noibitheprofessor@yahoo.com-08056000000 to info@mysmsnaija.com after successful transaction message prompt and your airtime will be credited.

Call Noibi on 08080477012 or 08056206907 fr more info!


How do I know my Glo promo account balance?

==> Dial #124# and press 5 when the prompt message appears.

NOTE: The promotional offer will run from 8th April till 31st May 2013.
Have a blessed day ahead.

Info from: Mysmsnaija!
www.mysmsnaija.com
08080477012

Glo Double Your Recharge Promotion. (Recharge with e-TopUP)

Glo Double Your Recharge Promotion. (Recharge with e-TopUP!

Glo Nigeria has introduced “recharge for Double” promotion to reward Globacom customers with 100% bonus on EVERY recharge made from N100 and above. It is a timeless promo as customer gets rewarded INSTANTLY any time, any day s/he recharges from N100 and above.

The new promo is being introduced to reward loyal customers with double value for every recharge (physical or E-Top up) made on the Glo mobile network from N100 and above. If you recharge N500, you get guaranteed reward of additional N500 to the N500 value of the recharge amount.

The FREE airtime can be used to make onnet calls ONLY i.e Glo to Glo calls. The bonus has same day validity i.e the bonus expires on the day you receive it.

Your promo account will be depleted first if you make onnet calls. Your main account will be the one to be depleted if use your line for other things such as onnet SMS, offnet and IDD SMS and calls.

To buy e-TopUP, log on to www.mysmsnaija.com , at the top left corner of the website, click on the desired link (see links sample here: - https://voguepay.com/?bnlink=1365432533-x0)of airtime request then follow the on-screen instruction to make pmt online.

Forward your transaction ID, ur name, amt paid and e-mail with your Glo phone no: i.e: 5162e1e3a1a48-noibi abiodun-N5,000-noibitheprofessor@yahoo.com-08056000000 to info@mysmsnaija.com after successful transaction message prompt and your airtime will be credited.

Call Noibi on 08080477012 or 08056206907 fr more info!


How do I know my Glo promo account balance?

==> Dial #124# and press 5 when the prompt message appears.

NOTE: The promotional offer will run from 8th April till 31st May 2013.
Have a blessed day ahead.

Info from: Mysmsnaija!
www.mysmsnaija.com
08080477012

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Aero: Travellers face bleak Easter over flight shortage

Aero: Travellers face bleak Easter over flight shortage

Travellers at the air-port
Intending air travellers within the country during the Easter holiday period may be in for a tough time because of a looming scarcity of flights to different destinations following the suspension of operations by Aerocontractors Airlines, the second largest domestic airline by passenger traffic.
Internal labour crises have left Aero grounded for almost two weeks. The airline’s management is battling almost 1,300 employees over alleged poor condition of service among other related issues.
The development has had an adverse effect on domestic air travel, which is currently dominated by Arik Air and Aero, in terms of large route network.
Already, passengers are facing hard times getting seats on the South-South and South-East routes operated by only Aero and Arik. Destinations on these routes are Benin, Calabar, Uyo, Owerri and Enugu.
Other domestic carriers such as Dana Air, IRS Airlines, Medview Airlines and Chanchagi Airlines operate from Lagos to Abuja and a few cities in the North.
Medview operates flights to only one South-South destination, Port Harcourt.
Findings by our correspondent on Monday revealed that intending passengers to the South-South and South-East regions were not getting seats easily on the available flights.
Our correspondent observed at the Lagos airport that majority of the intending passengers were forced to book for flights two days ahead, a departure from the former situation where they would get to the airport before buying tickets on their travel days.
Further findings revealed that passengers at Benin, Uyo, Calabar, Enugu and Owerri airports were also scrambling to get tickets. It was learnt that majority of them had been forced to postpone their flights.
Also, passengers flying to Accra in Ghana are also having hard times getting seats as the route, prior to the current crisis, was operated by both Arik and Aero.
The development has made airfares to start going up. Already, flights from Lagos to any of the South-East and South-South states, which used to cost a little less than N30,000, now go for about N35,000.
Also, return ticket between Lagos and Accra, which used to go for between N50,000 and N70,000, now go for between N90,000 and N100,000.
This is coming just as the hope of Aero resuming operations before the Easter holidays appears bleak, thereby threatening the hope of several passengers who had booked Aero flights online for the Easter season before the crisis.
Efforts to get the airline’s management to comment on the fate of such passengers did not yield results.
The Aero spokesman said the managing director was not available to comment on what the fate of such passengers would be.
But the Assistant General Secretary, Airline Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, said it was high time the government intervened in the labour crisis in Aero through the Minister of Labour.
He also alleged that some business interests were sponsoring the crises in the aviation sector, and that the government needed to investigate the various crises that had befallen the airlines.
Tukur said, “It is a very unfortunate situation at Aero at the moment. If you look at the way things are going, there are plans by some powerful interests to frustrate some airlines. Some people are benefiting from the crises in the sector. I only pity our brothers flying from overseas and Lagos to celebrate the Easter in the East and South-South.
“My advice is for the existing airlines to add frequencies to the South-South and South East routes so that they can help evacuate passengers during the Easter. I don’t see Aero coming back soon. I don’t know why the Aero management allowed this to happen to them.
“Some airlines benefited from bail-out but they are not flying today. I mean, some airlines got bail-out funds and closed shop. These are issues the government needs to look into because jobs have been lost.”
The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority said it had intervened in the crisis in Aero and discussions were ongoing with the management of the airline. It, however, refused to comment on the fate of intending passengers who had bought Aero’s tickets for the Easter season.

INEC may register mega opposition party as APC

INEC may register mega opposition party as APC

INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega
The opposition coalition party, All Progressives Congress, on Monday ‘won’ its first victory with the Independent National Electoral Commission refusing to register the African Peoples Congress, thus creating an opportunity for the coalition platform to register its preferred acronym, APC.
The INEC said promoters of the African Peoples Congress failed to meet the requirements for the registration of parties and that the association breached Section 222 (a) of the 1999 Federal Constitution, as amended.
The Commission’s Director of Information, Emmanuel Umenger, confirmed that a letter signed by INEC’s Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaugama, refusing the association registration had been sent to the promoters.
A copy of the letter, obtained by our correspondent, read,  “The Commission has observed that your association is in breach of Section 222 (a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) which stipulates as follows:
“No association by whatever name called shall function as a political party unless; the names and addresses of its national officers are registered with the Independent National Electoral Commission; a close observation of your submitted form PA 1 established that it does not contain the addresses of your national officers as stipulated in the provisions above.
“Consequently, the commission shall not register the proposed African Peoples Congress (APC) as a political party.”
The All Progressives Congress, formed by four opposition political parties – Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change, All Nigeria Peoples Party and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance – had in January announced the name of their new party and chose the acronym, APC.
But before the opposition parties could file their papers before INEC, two other associations – African Peoples Congress and All Patriotic Citizens –had submitted applications choosing APC as their acronym too.
But while the All Patriotic Citizens agreed to a change of name to avoid unpleasantness of similar acronym, the African Peoples Congress had remained adamant.
The All Progressives Congress, with an avowed mission to dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party from power, had accused the PDP of sponsoring the African Peoples Congress in order to spoil the show for the opposition.
Curiously, the Protem Chairman of the African Peoples Congress, Chief Onyinye Ikeagwuonu, had last Thursday flaunted before journalists a copy of the same letter Umenger confirmed was sent to the association on Monday, alleging that “dark forces” within INEC had perfected the plan to deny his association registration.
Umenger had earlier on Monday said the letter shown to journalists by Ikeagwuonu was not authentic because it was not signed.
He later confirmed the content of the letter as the same as the one sent to the rejected association.
He told our correspondent, “Yes, I am in receipt of a letter similar in content with the one you said was duly signed by INEC’s Secretary, Alhaji Abdullahi Kaugama, and it has been delivered to the addressee (African Peoples Congress) and one Michael Ogani signed and collected the letter and dated it March 25, 2013.
“The content is what you read to me earlier. The point of departure as I spoke with you before now was that the letter you had was not signed and because it was not signed, we could not ascertain its authenticity and because of that I declined to speak on it. But as soon as it came to my table, I felt that it was necessary to call you and inform you that I am in receipt of a letter and its content; the letter has spoken.”
Reacting to the development on Monday, Ikeagwuonu said the refusal to register his association was a rape on democracy and threatened to challenge the decision in court.
He said, “The requirements of the laws have been complied with and we must forewarn that any trick against our registration shall be resisted as even the same Electoral Act which empowers INEC to register or not to register political parties equally gives us power to challenge the decision of INEC at the Federal High Court, up to Supreme Court where our constitutionally compliant application to register shall be upheld by the law court.”

Ex-Zambian president arrested over Nigerian oil deal

Ex-Zambian president arrested over Nigerian oil deal

Zambian-ex-president-Rupiah-Banda
Former Zambian president, Mr. Rupiah Banda, was arrested on Monday by the country’s law enforcement agents over allegations of corruption and abuse of office, following a crude oil import deal with Nigeria.
Banda, according to an online news agency, hotnaijanews.com, was also alleged to have misappropriated about $11m during his three-year reign as President of the country.
The country’s authorities are accusing him of procuring oil which did not benefit the country.
He was said to have imported crude oil from Nigeria without actual deliveries, despite the fact that the funds were deposited into the bank account of his son.
Banda, who was released from police custody and is due to appear in court on Tuesday, however, said the moves against him are politically motivated.
He was questioned for close to three hours after his arrest related to the oil deal Monday before he was released on bail.
Banda denies the charges, and his lawyers claim the arrest is an attempt by current President Michael Sata to silence him.
After his release, Banda appeared before his supporters and told them to remain calm, reassuring them he would win his case in court.
Earlier this month,   parliament lifted Banda’s presidential immunity, clearing the way for him to be prosecuted for several corruption and abuse of office charges.
Banda lost to President Michael Sata in 2011 elections. The new government has been pursuing the corruption investigations against the former leader and his political allies.
Banda, born 13 February 1937, was President of Zambia from 2008 to 2011.
During the Presidency of Kenneth Kaunda, Banda held important diplomatic posts and was active in politics as a member of the United National Independence Party. Years later, he was appointed as Vice-President by President Levy Mwanawasa in October 2006, following the latter’s re-election.
He took over Mwanawasa’s presidential responsibilities after Mwanawasa suffered a stroke in June 2008, and following Mwanawasa’s death in August 2008, he became acting President. As the candidate of the governing Movement for Multiparty Democracy, he narrowly won the October 2008 presidential election, according to official results.
Opposition leader Michael Sata defeated Banda in the September 2011 presidential election, and Sata accordingly succeeded Banda as President on September 23, 2011.

Monday, March 25, 2013

Browse With MTN BIS With Modem On Computer Without VPN

Want To Browse With MTN BIS With Modem On Computer Without VPN? Try this settings

If your Glo Blackberry subscription has stopped working on your computer and tablets or you just want an alternative to the Airtel BIS trick you are using to browse on your PC, you can now browse on your computer using MTN BIS without even using any VPN software. You don't need Spotflux, PDproxy, DroidVPN or any third party software whatsoever.



To get started, you have to subscribe to MTN BIS. You can use any phone to subscribe.

==> text BBCWEEK to 21600 for weekly plan (costs N500) or text BBC to 21600 for monthly plan (costs N1500)

Once you have successfuly been subscribed to the MTN BIS, you will have to create a new profile on your 3G modem using the settings below:

==> Connection Name: MTN BIS
==> APN : blackberry.net
==> Username: web
==> Password: web

Save the settings and connect to the internet using the new profile.

That's all.

I hope it works for you.

NOTE: This might stop working any moment from now. So, enjoy till it lasts.

Saturday, January 12, 2013

A’Ibom police in search of more arms factories

Arms and ammunitions
The police in Akwa Ibom are still in search of more arms factories, a few weeks after the discovery of a 30-year old gun factory in Ikono Local Government Area of the state.
The police, which described the last incident as very unfortunate and dangerous, said it had commenced vigorous searches across the state to uncover such illegal factories.
In an interview with CRIME DIGEST in Uyo on Tuesday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Etim Dickson, said the police were yet to discover any new locally-made gun factory after the last one in Ikono LGA, where single-barrel wooden guns were being made.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Umar Gwadabe, said the factory contained gun making machines and some ammunition which had already been seized.
He noted that the intelligence report would help the command in mopping up ilegal arms in the area, adding that investigations are on-going and expected to lead to the arrest of more collaborators.

Paying the price of convenience

Paying the price of convenience

Mall

The emergence of shopping malls in key urban centres and neighbourhoods in recent times seems to be redefining shopping experience in Nigeria. But this is fast becoming a mixed bag for shoppers and retail shop operators, SIMON EJEMBI reports

Many years ago, shopping amounted to a stressful exercise for Ebere Agina.
“You have to be prepared to be pushed or shoved, when you go to the market. And if you are unlucky your money could get stolen,” she recalls.
She still has that experience, but only once in a while; when she goes to the market for some specific items or variety.
Most times, she patronises one of the shopping malls that have been built in different parts of Lagos over the last few years.
Apart from being a ‘way more’ convenient place to shop, the malls offer her quality products.
“Surprisingly, the prices of items in the shopping malls are sometimes cheaper than those of similar items in the (traditional) markets. Maybe it is because some of the shops in the malls get their goods straight from the manufacturers,” Agina, who patronises Shoprite in Surulere and Mr. Price, adds.
In the last five to seven years, the number of shopping malls in Lagos – and the country as a whole – has been on the rise. In Lagos, for instance, from Lekki to Victoria Island, Ikeja to Surulere, residents now have alternatives to the traditional markets.
It is a development that many shoppers commend, for making the shopping experience more convenient and organised.
For Prince Lee, a lawyer, the attraction is original items.
“I get original stuff from Shoprite, just like when I travel abroad. But it has also affected my finance; ordinarily if I spent N40, 000 a month before, I now spend about N80, 000 because I shop randomly. That could be considered a negative aspect of it,” he says.
Another shopper, Mrs. Yinka Oyeleyin, says while she appreciates the convenience the shopping malls offer, she visits them only for specific items. She, however, avoids the malls on Saturdays because they can be as crowded as traditional markets on such days. Oyeleyin says it will take up to 50 more shopping malls to ease the congestion the malls presently witness at the weekend.
But as more people throng the malls, it is not all positive.
“There is no difference between the shopping malls and Idumota (market),” Femi Jones says, while describing his experience.
He adds, “In both places where you buy goods you are harassed for money from the moment you park your car. There is no difference for me.”
The Managing Director, Lagos State Chambers of Commerce and Industry, says while the malls have raised the bar in terms of retailing, there is a flip side –they are stifling smaller retail outlets.
“They have raised the bar for supermarket chains in Nigeria; people have a standard that they can look up to,” he says.
“The flip side is that many of our local retail shops will be adversely affected. So we are likely to see significant loss of jobs in the retail sector, particularly around each of these shopping malls.”
Yusuf adds that from reports reaching him, some shops around the malls are already going out of business.
While he says the positives of the shopping malls outweigh the negatives, he stresses that the negatives still give cause for concern.
“The retail sales sector is a major employer of labour in Nigeria, so if you have a situation where the presence of this shopping mall is now affecting them, especially at a time when we are talking about unemployment and so on, it is something that should give concern,” he explains.
Emeka Chimeze, who runs a boutique in Ketu, says the emergence of the malls has not affected his business because there is no mall nearby. But the case is not the same for his brother who owns a boutique in Ogba, close to a new shopping mall.
“He has been crying that the mall is killing his business,” he said. When asked about the chances his brother may have of moving his business into the mall, Chimeze said it would cost nothing less than N5m to rent a shop in the mall.
But Lee says the emergence of the shopping malls will affect smaller shops mainly because they do not sell original goods, which, according to him, is what people want.
A pharmacist, Mr. Finbarr T, who works in a pharmacy at the Ikeja Shopping Mall, says that while the shopping malls are better organised and attract many customers, his shop does not have a big edge over others in traditional set ups.
“I think what matters is the location,” he said. “For instance there is a pharmacy near Allen Roundabout in Ikeja, and because there are a lot of companies there, it gets a lot of customers.
Mrs. Seun Awolola, who admits that the malls were likely to affect smaller business, particularly those close to the malls, says the impact will increase over time.
She adds that as soon as the shopping centres start selling everything that can be purchased in the traditional market at a similar price, she and many others like herself will have no reason to go to the traditional markets any more.
She adds, “When this happens, there will be nothing anyone can do about it”.
But Muda believes some form of regulation might help now.
“We can check their spread. There has to be a way of regulating them. So that in a city they don’t capture all the retail markets – because we have to keep our people employed,” he insists.
However, the trend being witnessed in the country at the moment is only just beginning, according to a report on retail investment – released last year.
The report, “Redefining Retail Investment”, which was published by Jones Lang Lasalle, a multinational financial and professional services company specialising in real estate, shows that the emergence of these shopping centres is likely to redefine retail investment, a development that will not only pose greater threat to small retail outlets but will see shopping centres dot the landscape.
In the report, Nigeria, alongside Venezuela, Bangladesh, Algeria, Pakistan, Iraq and Manyar, is ranked in the frontier markets, which is rated ‘opaque’ in the transparency index for 2012,, while South Africa is ranked, alongside Italy, Spain, and the UAE, in the transitional market – which is rated ‘transparent’ on the index.
In the frontier market, to which Nigeria belongs, the report says, “organised retailing is at an early stage of evolution and the retail infrastructure is still poorly developed. The number of modern shopping centres is very limited.
“Substantial market opportunities come in tandem with the major challenges that are associated with difficult operating environments, low real estate transparency and high political/economic risk.”
According to the report, the emergence of these malls is partly driven by the inexorable growth of the urban middle classes.
With regards to the future of shopping centres and retail investment in Sub-Saharan Africa, the report predicts that South African investors or developers in partnership with retailers are likely to accelerate their move across the continent.
As this happens, it adds, “The focus will be on Nigeria, the region’s largest consumer market, oil-rich Angola, Ghana and Mozambique, and some of the more stable markets in Southern and Eastern Africa.”

Music is my drug, sex my therapy – Fatai Rolling Dollar

Music is my drug, sex my therapy – Fatai Rolling Dollar

Fatai Rolling Dollar
Fatai Olagunju, aka Rolling Dollar, is a reporter’s delight any day. One hour with him and he would have taken you through three decades of West African music.
One day, during a meeting with LIFE & BEAT in a popular eatery in Lagos, while he sipped from a glass of orange juice, the celebrated highlife musician unveiled a few closely guarded secrets.
“My father was the first man to drive from Nigeria to Gold Coast (now known as Ghana) in 1929. I got the name ’Rolling Dollar ’ in my school days in the early 1930s. I used to be in the school football team. Whenever we were about to play football, I would go to the pitch with some dimes (American) in my pocket. My sister regularly gave them to me. It was her way of motivating me to face my studies.
“I always spent the money on food during break time. Every time my teammates saw me with the money, they would said to me ‘Fatai, bring your dollar, let us roll it. Head or tail?’ That was how I got the name and it has stuck since then,” the seasoned musician said.
When conversation shifted to the source of his incredible energy at 85 years, he simply smiled and said, “I have only God to thank for this. I have no special health programme or prescription that I follow. I don’t take herbs or special drugs to give me energy. I am natural and that is why I can sit here and tell you it is God’s grace. But I don’t abuse food or drinks. I free my mind from worries. The things that I cannot change, I hand them over to God. He created me, He knows my beginning and ending, as well as my strength and weaknesses.”
One thing gives this spritely artiste joy, though: the fact that providence had used well-meaning Nigerians to lift him from poverty in his old age.
“There is this prayer in Yoruba, which says, ’Kaale so mi ju owuro lo’ (Let my old age be prosperous). In my years of need, I used to say that prayer. Now everything has come to pass. I suffered a lot, but God used Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to elevate me and change my status. I am immensely indebted to this great man called Tinubu. God used him to turn my defeat to victory. Here I am today smiling. My name is everywhere again,” he said, smiling broadly.
Interestingly, the old man confessed that he is hooked on sex.
“My weakness is sex. Music is my drug and sex is my therapy. Even at my age I cannot stop having sex. My youngest wife knows this. I am strong and very agile in that department and sex has never weighed me down. If anything, it helps me to release tension. Mind you, I am not recommending it for anybody because what is good for my system might not be healthy for you,” he said.

No regret dating a junior colleague –Toyin Aimakhu

No regret dating a junior colleague –Toyin Aimakhu

Toyin Aimakhu
Popular Yoruba actress, Toyin Aimakhu, delves into her issues about her life, romance, scandals, Nollywood and more. She spoke with Ademola Olonilua
 How I cope with advances from men
I get advances from men a lot. I cannot count how many times they hit on me. Some of them walk up to me with lame pick up lines. There was a day I used a picture of me and Bimbo Akintola on my BlackBerry. She is my friend and a role model. We were at a movie location and I took a picture with her. I used it as my BlackBerry display picture and someone sent a message asking if that was Bimbo Akintola. I replied the person saying she isn’t the one, that it was Iya Rainbow. There was another time someone came up to me and said he likes me. I said thank you and he said I should guess what. I asked and he said he really does not watch Yoruba movies. I told the person that I don’t act Yoruba movies, that I dance for Fela. He was shocked and said but I act Yoruba movies. I replied the man saying that I thought he does not watch Yoruba movies. I am not a harsh or aggressive person; everybody knows that all I do is act in Yoruba movies. I am a very nice and friendly person and I know that without my fans I am nothing. I have been able to cope with men because right from my childhood, most of my friends have been guys. I feel safe around them. I am a plain person; the thing with guys is that when you have an issue with them, they clear it immediately unlike women who keep talking about it all the time. When you are doing a great job, the opposite sex would definitely always come after you. I am used to it. Thank God, my man is an actor and a model, so he understands. Even when men don’t look at me, I tell him that nobody is noticing me and he teases me that it is because I am not fine again. Then we laugh it off.
The part of my body I consider as my best asset
I love every part of my body but if I am to choose I would say probably my breasts. My smile and my lips are also good features of my body.
How I became an actress
I never wanted to become an actress. I wanted to be a physiotherapist. I love attending to people, taking care of them. I did my HND in Marketing; I have a Degree in Philosophy from Olabisi Onabanjo University. My late brother, Mutab Aimakhu, had a friend, and the friend had an uncle who happened to be Aina Kushoro. Bukky Wright wanted to shoot a student movie and they needed someone to help them in University of Ibadan. Kushoro called me and told me that he needed me to help an actress. I asked who the actress was and he said that it was Bukky Wright. I was excited because everybody was going to see me with her. When she came around I was staring at her, I was telling everybody that I was with my aunty. She wanted to park her car and I offered to help her though I looked small and skinny; she did not believe I could drive. They had an audition and I was just watching. I liked her so I went to get her food and we sat together. I asked her why the people were not getting it right and she said that acting is not easy. I told her that there was nothing to it. She asked if I could act and I told her yes. We were just playing. She told me to go on stage. The person that directed it was Tope Idowu. I went on stage, they said I should act some scenarios for them which I did and they said I did very well. Everybody present there gave me a resounding ovation but I didn’t see it as anything. I was not interested in acting professionally. They started shooting and had some problems so they had to go to Ife. Bukky Wright forgot something in Ibadan and asked me to help her bring it to Ife. When I got there, she was upset and I asked her why she was down. She said that an actress they were expecting had not shown up. She asked if I could play the part but I was reluctant. I later played the part and was good at it. Back then, it was part of my fashion style to put a dot on the right side of my upper lip. The director of Jenifa, Muyideen Sasiliu, was the continuity guy on set. He approached me and said he needed me for something. He said he wanted to shoot a movie and he needed someone that would play Rachael Oniga’s part as a young person. He asked if the dot on my upper lip was natural and I said it was. When finished Bukky Wright’s film, she gave me money and I was surprised. Because of my background I was really shocked because I did not know someone could make money through talent. Then I came to Lagos. My journey to Lagos was like a joke; when I told my mother, she was very surprised and worried for me because I hadn’t been to Lagos before. I was born and bred in Ibadan. When I got to Lagos, everybody was just complimenting me, saying I am beautiful. They kept asking if I could drive because back then not many people could drive. When I acted people commended me and when I was done, I got paid. I went to Bukky Wright and she liked me. I visited her from time to time. Then she became my boss. That was how I started acting.
My parents’ reaction to my acting career
There is something about my family. Then when I just got in the industry I had problems with some people. They felt I was rude. It is not that I am rude. The way I was brought up, in my house they allow us to express ourselves freely. Even with my father, you have the right to express yourself. That was my upbringing. You can talk; you do not have to be scared of anybody. My parents would listen to you talk; they would not make you afraid of them by threatening you with punishment. They wanted us to be bold and this upbringing really worked for me. We do not lie in my house because we were trained in a Christian way. My parents would never choose what you are to do. They would let you do what you want so that even when you run into problems you would be able to stand on your own. My parents are old; initially my mother was scared but she went to some pastors and they prayed for me. My mother said the only thing she wants from me is that I should not forget where I come from and I should not do what I am not supposed to do. I promised her that I wouldn’t and if I do, I will die. She said that I will not die but live to testify to the goodness of God in my life. I will never serve God and money. My dad is a simple man; he lets you do what you want to do. Initially they did not support it but with time they changed their minds. Ever since I got their full support I have seen changes in my life.
The stigma against actresses
People see actresses as being wayward but it happens with young girls everywhere. But because we are known faces people tend to check our every move. I feel we are meant to be role models. I will not blame anybody; we are all from different backgrounds and have different mentality. Actresses don’t fight over men. Once they know you are an actress, they are ready to tarnish your image. Actress don’t fight over men. I do not have anything against people that date married men but I have never dated a married man and I would never do such. Because I am crazy in films people tend to have a wrong perception of me. I do not have tattoos, I do not use make-up except I am on set or I am going for an event. I have never dated a married man. My first boyfriend was Lekan, he is a young guy. I had another relationship with Niyi Solanke; then my ex-boyfriend, Kunle Soyombo who went to the press and told people I cheated on him. There is something about me; I pray a lot, I always want my fans to be proud of me. I love them and do not want to disappoint them. Kunle got married recently and I am with Niyi. To God be the glory, I am engaged. My husband proposed to me on a ferry. I love him and appreciate him. People see some actresses as wayward because of the way they place themselves. I am sure that a lot of people would not describe the likes of my boss, Bukky Wright, or Funke Akindele, Iyabo Ojo as wayward. The few bad eggs are the ones spoiling the names of the good ones. We have a lot of wonderful people in the industry. When you sit down and look at the people that are the bad eggs, they are not in the industry to act.
Strained relationship between English and Yoruba speaking artistes
I do not know about anybody degrading anyone because no one can do that to me. If you mock me I retaliate. You cannot degrade me because I am a graduate. A lot of people complain about it. I have a lot of friends among them and we talk regularly. I have been invited to act several English speaking movies. I was invited to act in Blackberry Babes, but I was not around. When I was called I was not around because I was shooting Femi Adebayo’s movie and I explained to them. It is a personal thing. Sometimes when I see some people act as such, I would complain but I would later keep quiet because I do not want to be insulted. It is the way you package yourself, the way you talk to people but there is no way anybody can downgrade me because I do not downgrade people. I do not disrespect people so nobody can disrespect me. If you do not want to talk with me, I would stay at home.
The money scandal I was involved in last year
My car was stolen from a friend of mine in September 2012. She wanted to drop someone with my car and it was stolen in the process. I am a public figure and from time to time, people give us gifts. I was shooting a movie and a friend walked up to me that a guy wanted to take us out because it was his birthday. I declined because I have a man and I cannot go out. The next day, Ibrahim, the man came and said he likes my movie and I thanked him. He said his father is an Islamic cleric and I asked him to tell his dad to keep praying for us. He said that he heard my car was stolen and offered to help. I accepted his offer to help, people give us money as well. I would never receive a gift for sex. The Bible says my body is the temple of the lord. I would never, ever do such. It was a big issue that later involved my husband. If I had done such, I would have been in big trouble. How would I have told him? My husband would faint, he would have been so disappointed. I am a lady and not married yet, it is normal for men to make passes at me but he knows I am from a Christian home. He is a good Christian and I am from a Christian home. If he hears such, he is going to faint. Ibrahim gave me N750,000 cash. He actually wanted to buy me a car; I wish he actually bought me a car so when the issue came up I would have just given him his car back. The guy’s father is a wonderful man. He spoke to me like a daughter and told me that the money was meant for someone else before his son took it. it was a gift, I did not steal it, I did not beg for it; but because he is a father and the way he spoke to me I listened. Ibrahim has an uncle, Agbana, who was also nice; Ibrahim too was nice, when he gave me the money, it was useful and I used it for something. I returned the money, but I still have about N200,000 to return.
About my previous relationship
The reason why I kept quiet all this while is because I am a lover girl. I fall in love; I love love. It is a sweet and wonderful experience. It is a beautiful thing. I have been waiting for this opportunity and I want my fans to sit down and think. I have never dated a married man, I am not a child. They can count the people I have dated and it is about four or five guys, including Niyi. Thank God I am engaged now. I fall in love and I do not know how to hide the person I am in love with. Once you ask me out and I say yes, I want to get married to you. It means I am in love with you; however most of these guys do not have the same intention. I have learnt that God’s time is the best. I had been walking around like a fool; meanwhile God had packaged Mr. Niyi Johnson for me. If I had married someone else apart from Niyi Johnson I would not be a happy woman. Now I met my better half and I love him. I do not even know the girl my former boyfriend is married to. He took my car; the Honda is actually my car. He was a guy I was in love with. I know Kunle is a funny person but there is something about me, even when they tell me you are not a good person, I want to deal with you. A lot of people have the wrong impression about me. I am a professional; because I act on screen, I act well and want to make it real. When you meet me, you realize it is just on screen. This has made me to always give people the benefit of doubt. So when people tell me about a person, I try to find out who the person really is. I bought the car for about N3 million. He was my man and he gave me N1 million. I just had to let it go because I was shocked and he was someone I loved. I found out and I just kept quiet about it. There was a time Kunle was in South Africa. The guy he went to meet was shopping while Kunle was at home. The guy tried calling him but couldn’t reach him so he called me instead. When he called me, he asked if it was boy or girl because he wanted to buy baby things to send to me. I was surprised because I was not pregnant. I was speechless; I called Kunle and told him what his friend said, that he wanted to buy baby things. He said that I should not mind his friend, that he wanted to buy it for one of his aunties who had a baby boy. I am smart but I kept quiet and took my mind off it. We did not have a fight, he just came to me to say that he wanted to attend a meeting and he took my car, because it was the latest Honda. I said okay and that was all, he stopped picking my calls. I sent him a text message, telling him to keep the car. I serve a living God; the next thing I saw was that he granted interviews saying that I was cheating on him. I went on a day’s fasting, and for 24 hours I was crying to God. I said that anything bad must not happen to anybody but let the people, my fans know the truth. And the truth came out. He had a wedding less than three months after we broke up. It was not even up to three months and the girl was about six months pregnant. We had spent Christmas and New Year together; he went to South Africa in November. I was the one that did the South African visa for him. He came back; my friend went to pick him up at the airport. We were together in the house, we had a New Year’s party, a lot of people were at the party. That means the girl had been pregnant all along and he had been playing me. He got back from South Africa and did not buy me a single top. My friends were surprised and asked why he did not buy anything for me, but I told them that he did not buy anything for me because he said he was broke. Meanwhile, people said they saw someone at the airport who came to pick things for him. God has a way of doing things. I wish him well; he was a wonderful guy too. I wish him well in life.
Me and my man
When you ask me about Niyi I feel like flying. I love him, he is my joy, and my friends make jest of me a lot with him. If I want to eat I call him; if he wants to do anything he calls me. We talk all the time. Niyi is my junior colleague but three years older than I am. I saw him in a movie and I was impressed by his acting. As seniors in the industry, when we see upcoming acts we make our observations. There is a tradition in the Yoruba movie industry, even if you are a 50-year-old person and I am 20-years-old but I got to the industry before you, you give me my respect. That is Yoruba, culture. I am 29-years-old. By looking at him I knew he was older than me. He wanted to talk to me but I was not interested because he is my junior colleague. Fortunately, Funke Akindele called me for a job, Oro omo. On getting to the set, he played my boyfriend. I would not lie, I liked him. When I saw him on set he came to me and said he is playing my boyfriend, I did not sound excited about it. I kept my cool. I asked him to walk me to my car, he was talking to me and I know he liked me, he took pictures with me. On set we were supposed to kiss, he had opened his mouth but I did not indulge him. When they stole my car, it gave everybody a reason to talk with me. He started talking to me and I was impressed by his intelligence. I told him I had seen him in Tinsel and he does a lot of soaps. His command of English is beautiful and that attracted me more to him. I saw a book with him and I loved it because I also love reading books. When he told me he likes me and wanted to date me I asked if he was on cheap drugs. He just sent me a text, ‘I did my findings and I am three years older than you, I know you don’t date for money and you don’t do married men. I love you’. I was like who is this and I disregarded the text. We later became friends and on my birthday, we were the only ones in the sitting room, people were outside. He told me he wanted to use the toilet so I had to take him, as we were going; he just dragged me to himself and kissed me. I could not resist him. He confessed to me that he liked his movies. On December 31, 2012, we were coming from Moji Olaiya’s movie location. He told me to allow them take the car away, giving several excuses. He told us to take a ferry, and on the ferry he proposed. That was the sweetest thing that could ever happen to a woman. He asked and I said yes. I told him that he should have told me so I would have hired people to shout yes on my behalf. We came back and there was a cab waiting for us.
My current project
I just shot Alacada part 2, we are taking it to the cinema. On January 22, I am going to start another movie; it has to do with autism. I am playing the part of a girl with autism. Her father has autism, it is a heredity problem; I inherited it from my father but mine is a worse case. My father used to be very rich and my mother married him for his money. Everything went bad and she left us. It was just my father and I. I had a best friend who happened to be an imbecile. However, my character has a talent, she can drum very well. She thinks like a child, she has the brain of a six-year-old although she is about 30 years. She has a gift, she can drum real good, later she becomes famous.

Shocker: Illegal drug factories flourish in Nigeria

Shocker: Illegal drug factories flourish in Nigeria

NDLEA officials with a suspect  at an illegal drug factory in Nnewi, Anambra
A little known problem steadily creeping into the Nigerian society is the rising number of factories where metamphetamie is produced.
The white, odourless and bitter drug easily dissolves in water or alcohol. It can be taken orally, intravenously or by smoking and snorting.
In street parlance, the drug is known as as ‘paya’ or ‘meth’. It became popular among Nigerian drug users for its capacity to enhance sexual performance and for its medical property as a pain killer.
For some time, meth was imported into the country by drug barons perpetually on the lookout for quick profits. They began to distribute the drug in capsules known as D10 and addicts found it easy to purchase it over the counter. 
Meth is commonly used by wrestlers and touts locally. Along the line, drug addicts found other substitutes for meth; ephedrine and procaine powder.
In 2010, Meth became central to the Federal Government’s campaign to rid the country of narcotics after the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency observed an outward flow of the drug from Nigeria to Western and Asian countries. This was the warning bell that foretold the possibility of illegal meth factories flourishing within the country.
Earlier in 2005, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime had raised the alarm over illegal meth factories in Nigeria and West Africa. According to a report published by the agency in 2011, there was an increase in the demand for the drug in Asia.  Some countries in South East Asia were said to have reported a 250 per cent increase in meth-related arrests between 2004 and 2009.
The Japanese authorities had observed an increase in the number of people trafficking in the narcotic from Africa to Japan. Nigeria was listed as a source country in West Africa alongside Benin, Cameroun and Senegal.
 Clearly, drug trafficking syndicates had expanded their network to include the production of meth. A UNODC 2012 reports lists an increase in the smuggling of meth to Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea.
NDLEA reports from 2010 till date for meth seizures at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, indicates that from the 83 arrests made, 62 of the suspects were heading to various Asian countries. While 38 were travelling to Malaysia, while seven were heading to India and Japan respectively.
Four of the suspects were heading to Thailand and two others were going to Bangladesh.
Indeed, more worrisome is the fact that foreigners have infiltrated the drug scene in Nigeria. Within a two-year period, a total of 284.583kg of meth were seized by the NDLEA; the largest seizure being 50kg of Ephredine that was destined for Mozambique.
The Chairman and Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, explained the trend to CRIME DIGEST. He said, “All over the world, the war on narcotics is tightening and drug barons are on the lookout for cheaper and easier alternatives that can provide the same euphoric effect as cocaine and heroin. Meth quickly became this alternative as it can be produced in laboratories; now it is in high demand in Europe.
“However, the snag is that there are very few persons globally who have the expertise to produce meth. That is why Nigerian drug syndicates are sourcing the expertise of foreigners to help establish meth laboratories. If Nigerians should master the art of producing meth locally, the health and environment implications would be disastrous.
“From our reports, the preferred destination for meth traffickers in Nigeria is Asia and the reason is that in most Asian countries, the penalty for drug trafficking is death. This has raised the price of hard drugs in Asia because of the risk involved in trafficking. As a result, it is more profitable for drug traffickers to ply their trade in Asia than in other Western nations.
“Every drug baron trades in the drug, which is certain to turn in the most profit. Currently, meth is the most profitable drug. A kilogramme of cocaine sells for N3m but goes for N12m at its peak. Meth on the other hand, sells for N12m/N15m per kilogramme on a good day.”
Unfortunately for the Nigerian government, drug syndicates in the country have turned their attention to this development and have begun the production of meth locally in the country. Between June 2011 and December. 2012, the NDLEA reportedly discovered five meth factories in the country. While four of the illegal factories were found in Lagos, one was discovered in Anambra. The first discovery was actually made in a place known as Monkey Village in the Iba area of Lagos.
Nearly all the factories, except the one found in Anambra, were sited in developing areas, thereby making it easy for the traffickers to carry out their operations undisturbed.
“All the meth factories in Lagos were sited in areas that still had many undeveloped plots. This makes it easy for the traffickers to work undisturbed because they usually don’t like to interact with their neighbours. Drug syndicates are unaware of the health hazards of meth production.
“At the Nanka meth factory in Nnewi, the suspect was using an underground apartment in his family home as his lab. The environmental and health consequences are endless; gases that are released from the production of meth are deadly, if inhaled. For every pound of meth produced, five to six pounds of waste products are generated. They can also cause skin cancer if exposed to the human skin.
“Then there is the matter of the solid waste that is released after meth has been produced. Some of the suspects had drilled holes into their fence through which they disposed of this waste on empty parcels of land near their homes. This waste kills everything around it; the soil and grass. Now if that waste percolates into the ground, it can equally pollute the ground water.
“ In one of the arrests we made, meth was already in production at the lab before we arrived. The workers in the lab were not even adequately protected; they were unaware of the danger they were in.
“Nigeria does not have the expertise to clean up a meth factory; we had to enlist the help of foreign counterparts to do this. Without proper clean up and disposal, toxic waste from the meth production process can remain present and active for years. Unsuspecting victims who live in dwellings formerly used as drug labs are among those at greatest risk because the vapours released during production are absorbed by the wall and floor surfaces,” Giade said.
Between June 2011 and December 2012, four foreigners were allegedly arrested by the NDLEA in connection with the production of meth in Nigeria. They were three Bolivians and a Colombian.
The Colombian, Gonzelo Osorio, was said to have been responsible for the establishment of three meth laboratories. A specialist, Osorio was reportedly contracted by a drug syndicate in Nigeria and paid $38,000 weekly to establish these candlestine laboratories. He had left Nigeria in December 2011 and returned on May 30, 2012 with a false identity as a citizen of Paraguay by the name Baez Benitez Milan.
Before his arrest, Osorio was said to have established a meth lab at Majek in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area of Lagos State and another at Nanka village in Nnewi area of Anambra State. He was in the process of setting up a third lab before his arrest. Six more suspects, all Nigerians were also arrested alongside Osorio. They are Gabriel Obi, Anthony Ebi, Olisa  Onyebuchukwu, Mickey Ezeokoli, Solomon Ogbonna and Chidi Alexandra Efeagwazi.
Earlier in 2012, three Bolivians named Yerko Dorado, Ruben Jorge and Hugo Moreno were reportedly arrested in connection with an illegal meth lab at satellite Town, Lagos.  NDLEA operatives recovered 41.150kg of ephedrine, 4.8kg of methamphetamine, other chemicals and sundry gadgets from the lab. Another suspect was also reportedly apprehended in Lagos for using his residence for a solo production of methamphetamine. Wanted by the agency for their connection with the Bolivians are two Nigerians – Solomon Uzoka and Basil Uzoka.

2014: Fayemi donates vehicles to ACN leaders

2014: Fayemi donates vehicles to ACN leaders

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi
Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State on Friday donated some buses to the youth and women’s wings of the Action Congress of Nigeria in the state, in a move that suggests that he might be strategising ahead of the 2014 governorship election.
The governor made the donation at the ACN secretariat on Ajilosun Street in Ado-Ekiti, capital of the state, after meeting with the executive of the party led by the chairman, Chief Jide Awe.
Fayemi advised the leaders of the party to stand up and defend his administration by enlightening the people of the state on the reason why the government was implementing its policies.
The leaders of the ACN in the state, led by former Governor Niyi Adebayo, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin and the party chairman, have endorsed Fayemi for a second term in office.
The governor was endorsed on December 30 at the residence of Adebayo in Iyin-Ekiti, even as a member of the House of Representatives from the town, Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, was rumoured to be nursing an ambition to run for governor in 2014.
Sources close to Bamidele told journalists that he would contest in 2014. But Fayemi and Bamidele have yet to declare their intention publicly.
Earlier Awe said the endorsement of Fayemi by the party’s leadership was based on performance and well earned by the latter.
Commenting on the recent dissolution of his cabinet, the governor said that there was nothing wrong in his action, adding that the time was already ripe for a review.
He said that he would consult widely before reconstituting the cabinet.
Also Fayemi dismissed the rumour that his deputy, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka had resigned her appointment, while denying that he was ferried out of the country in an air ambulance.
He described Ekiti as the number one rumour mill in Africa, saying that rumour-peddling must be discouraged in order to give room for more development in the state.
“We are about to enter a season of politics. It is the duty of the party’s leaders to defend the decisions of the government. They shouldn’t be the ones telling the people in the communities that he/she doesn’t know what is happening in the government,” he said.

N750m scandal: Soludo granted bail, passport seized

N750m scandal: Soludo granted bail, passport seized

Former CBN Governor, Professor Charles Soludo
A former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo, who was arrested on Thursday, has been granted bail.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission picked him up over alleged complicity in the Australian polymer banknotes bribery scandal estimated at over N750m.
He was said to have been allowed to go home having been grilled for several hours by the commission’s team of investigators.
A source in EFCC told Saturday PUNCH that Soludo was asked to drop his diplomatic passport and to produce two sureties who must be senior federal civil servants not below the level of permanent secretaries or directors.
The source said, “The former CBN governor was eventually allowed to go yesterday (Thursday) night. I think he left around that time you people left.
“He was waiting for journalists to go and immediately you people left, he sneaked out. But that is not the end because he is also expected back for further interrogation.
“I don’t have much details on the other 12 ex-staff members of the CBN and the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, who were linked with the scandal; it is not as if the suspects are here. But a number of them have been questioned over time and they are from NSPMC and CBN, they are not in our station at the moment.”
Several efforts to get the confirmation of Soludo’s release from the spokesperson for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, were unsuccessful as he did not answer his telephone calls.
When our correspondent called back later, his two telephone lines were switched off.
Soludo arrived at the EFCC headquarters at about 2 pm on Thursday from his Abuja residence and immediately faced a team of operatives who quizzed him for several hours to ascertain his level of complicity in the scandal.

I didn’t dump my guitarist –KSA

King Sunny Ade
Juju maestro, King Sunny Ade, has denied an allegation that his former guitarist, Fatoke Abiodun, who was recently arrested by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, was unceremoniously retired.
Abiodun, who was allegedly caught with 1.575kg of cocaine, had claimed he didn’t get any severance money from KSA when he was retired in 2007 after playing with the musician for 30 years.
Abiodun had said he “faced the bitter side of life,” without the severance money. As such, he had no choice but to get involved in the crime.
However, KSA has said his former guitarist was not a member of staff of his company but just a member of his band, who was not entitled to a severance pay.
“I pay salaries to the members of staff of my company. As for my band members, we share money based on what we make at every show where we perform. I would first of all, remove the money for taxes, equipment we used and other stuff connected to the performance. Thereafter, the remaining money is shared among all of us.
“Before now, I advised my band members that we should have a common purse, where we should leave money for welfare. But they refused and insisted that everything should be shared.
“If he and the others had agreed to my advice then, he wouldn’t have had any reason to say he didn’t get any severance allowance,” the musician said.
On why he retired Abiodun, KSA says he changes his band members every three years in order to be current and follow the trend.
“But he worked for me for 30 years. Those who have even worked for me for two years are so well off now. How can he say he didn’t have anything after 30 years? Are those there now complaining?
“And to set the records straight, I didn’t sack him, he left on his own. We came back from an international show and he told me he wanted to start his own band and said I should assist him.
“Before I knew what was happening, he went to Ibadan with my guitar without my knowledge in order to start his own band. I told him to return my guitar and when he didn’t, I had to involve the police. That was how he left,” KSA added.
He said he had not seen Abiodun since he left his band in 2007.
“Anybody who is involved in any crime has it in him. It is not proper for anybody to say that it was a condition that led him to a crime. He was among those in the high category in my band. It is surprising that he claimed he had nothing. I have never seen or heard from him since he left my band.
“In the 30 years he worked for me, he never exhibited such criminal attitude. I am always concerned about the people travelling with me. I make sure we all travel light and get whatever we need for the performance in the country we are going.
“I have never seen cocaine. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and we are always checked thoroughly at the airport here and at the airport over there,” he said.

Churches should pay tax –Cleric

Churches should pay tax –Cleric

Founder, International Church Growth Ministry, Dr. Francis Akin-John, has said the call made recently by Mr. Femi Falana that churches should pay tax to the government is justified.
Falana had made the call following the controversy generated by the acquisition of private jets by some Nigerian pastors.
Akin-John said the impression the public had about the church as a very rich entity made the human rights lawyer to make such call.
He told Saturday PUNCH in an interview that many Nigerians had the impression that the churches were rich based on the ostentatious lifestyles of their leaders.
He said, “Some people have argued that buying a new aircraft is like buying a new car. But I disagree. Those who are buying aircraft today, I don’t have any quarrel with that; it is their right. But they are sending the wrong signal to the body of Christ and the society.
“The society is getting a wrong impression of the church due to the ostentatious lifestyles of some church leaders.
“Some people said the aircraft is a tool of evangelism but in a country where there is abject poverty; where majority don’t have what to eat, would God provide a tool that would cost you about N850m to buy and N250m every month to maintain?
“People say they are using it for evangelism, is there an airstrip in every community? I am an insider; let me tell you the truth, people who invite pastors who fly personal jets are made to bear the costs.”
Akin-John said he had reports of pastors who demanded from those who invited them to foot their travel expenses, including fuelling their aircraft.
He said the money used to buy such aircraft was not usually from the church. According to him, the pastors get the money from their personal private businesses.
He said, “That is why I agree with what Femi Falana said that the church should pay tax. In a country where we have a responsible government, the source of wealth of these people must be scrutinised. “I don’t believe the church should pay taxes to the government because the church is a partner in progress with the government.
“But when the church is involved in private businesses such as mining, oil and gas, it should be taxed. Even when it is involved in universities and schools where fees are paid, it should be taxed. Those businesses should be taxed because that is where those people get the money.
“There is no church that can buy and maintain an aircraft from tithes. Most of the funds come from the personal businesses of their leaders or the money given to them as gifts.
“It breaks my heart when people say the church is making a lot of money, it is not true. When you look closely, such money does not come from the church but from the private businesses of the church leaders.”

Policeman shoots tout at Lagos airport •Gunmen kill one in Onitsha

Policeman shoots tout at Lagos airport •Gunmen kill one in Onitsha

Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr. Umaru Manko
A police corporal shot a suspected tout on Thursday night for refusing to give him N500 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The policeman, whose identity is yet to be released by the Airport Command of the Nigerian Police Force, was said to have been shot in the stomach at the public car park of the MMIA.
The money was said to have been given to the suspected tout by a passenger whom he had assisted to push his baggage trolley from the arrival terminal to the car park.
Eyewitnesses said the intestines of the suspected tout spilled out from the gunshot wound and he was rushed to Beesam Hospital, near the airport, by security operatives.  
Saturday PUNCH learnt that Aviation Security officials of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria immediately alerted the airport police command and the corporal was subsequently arrested.
The General Manager, Corporate Communications, FAAN, Mr. Yakubu Dati, confirmed the development. 
But said it could not be confirmed if the victim was dead or not.
“The man was shot by a policeman. He has been rushed to the hospital. The policeman has been arrested. You know, as it is with anything involving a bullet, only a medical doctor can confirm now if the person was dead,” Dati said.
The Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Mr. Olatunji CaulCrick, also confirmed the development. He said that the circumstances surrounding the shooting was still being investigated, adding that  the suspected tout were responding to treatment.
CaulCrick said, “The matter is being investigated. The man that was shot is a suspected tout. We have arrested the policeman who shot him. He will explain the circumstances that led him to shoot the man. There are guides and procedures for using firearms. We don’t know if the man in question exhibited some threats.”
Unconfirmed reports said the corporal was invited to the car park by a woman who had complained that some touts were harassing her.
The policeman, who was identified by airport officials as Mr. Emmanuel Agabi, was said to have followed the woman to the car park where he met some of the touts that had prevented the woman from moving her car.
Agabi was said to have asked the woman to move her car in the presence of the touts and she offered him N500 in return.
Unconfirmed reports said the policeman did not accept the money from the woman.
After the woman had left, the touts, led by one Chuks, allegedly challenged Agabi for stopping them from collecting money from the woman.  The situation, it was learnt, forced the latter to shoot Chuks in the stomach.
As at 6 pm on Friday, unconfirmed reports said the gunshot victim was still alive.  
Meanwhile, suspected armed robbers operating on a motorcycle shot and killed an unidentified man and injured another in Onitsha on Friday.
The gunmen were said to have trailed their victims, who were in a commercial tricycle, to Upper New Market Road,  where they opened fire on them, killing one on the spot while another sustained serious injuries.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants sped off immediately they hit their victims without collecting anything from them.
“Maybe because policemen from Central Police Station were coming after them, but the only thing I know is that the other man that died was shot at a close range and he died instantly,” a source said.
However, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Central Police Station in Onitsha, Mr. Tope Fasugba, led a team of policemen to the scene of the shooting and gave the suspects a chase but failed to apprehend them.
Fasugba said his men could not shoot at the fleeing gunmen in order to avoid a situation where innocent persons could be hit by stray bullets.
“Our hands were tied because Onitsha is highly populated and innocent people could be hurt. That was why they escaped when we went after them. They moved faster with the help of commercial motorcycles and were able to escape. But we shall get them,” he said.
The DPO said the motive for the killing was yet unknown, adding that the police would be on their trail.
 He said the injured victim of the attack was taken to a hospital for treatment, while the body of the deceased was deposited at a mortuary.

Follow due process, ASUU tells UNIBEN lecturer

Follow due process, ASUU tells UNIBEN lecturer

Prof. Isaiah Ibeh
The Academic Staff Union of Universities on Friday advised Prof. Isaiah Ibeh of the University of Benin to follow due process in authenticating his self-acclaimed cure for HIV/AIDS.
ASUU President, Dr. Nasir Fagge, stated this in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH.
He explained that the university system was structured in a way that discoveries pass through a rigorous process before they are conferred with the patent of the university in question.
Fagge said this in a telephone interview with Saturday PUNCH in Abuja on Friday.
He noted that universities had research and academic development committees saddled with the responsibility of verifying claims before they are passed on to the senate where final decisions are taken.
He said, “The university has a research committee and an academic development committee. When a discovery is made, it passes through these committees to the university senate; where after a rigorous process of verification, the university can decide whether or not to confer its patent on it.
“However, an individual has the prime right to his discovery. It does not mean that he or she cannot explore other ways to patent the discovery.
“The important thing is that the university has a procedure and if a lecturer makes a discovery, he is expected to follow this procedure.

Friday, January 11, 2013

‘Why Nigeria may lose war against same-sex marriage’

‘Why Nigeria may lose war against same-sex marriage’

Senate President, David Mark
The Forum for Justice and Human Rights Defence said on Thursday that unless sections 37 and 43 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were amended, the country would not win the war against same-sex marriage.
The National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Oghenejabor Ikimi, also described as “myopic, misconceived and unfounded,” the statement credited to the Senate President, Mr. David Mark, that the bill on prohibition of same sex marriage was irreversible.
Ikimi, who spoke to our correspondent in Yenagoa, said the provisions of the proposed law against same-sex marriage were inconsistent with sections 37 and 43 of the constitution.
He said, “We state without fear or favour that unless the provisions of sections 37 and 43, which guarantee the right to private and family life and the right to freedom from discrimination are specifically amended to exclude cases of same-sex marriage, the effect of the proposed law by Section 1 sub section 3 of the 1999 Constitution would remain void abinitio (from the beginning).”
He also reminded the lawmakers that Nigeria was a signatory to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, which guarantees the sexual freedom of individuals.
Ikimi explained that as a member of the United Nations, Nigeria had sworn not to approve any bill against same-sex marriage.
He said, “As a responsible and responsive human rights organisation devoid of any gay affiliation, we owe it a duty to inform our legislators and the Nigerian public of Nigeria’s commitment as a member country to the United Nations to eliminate all existing legislation, if any, that discriminates, based on gender and sexual orientation and to also take measures to recognise and protect the rights of sexual and gender minorities.”

Oshiomhole wants DIG sacked over Oyerinde’s death probe

Oshiomhole wants DIG sacked over Oyerinde’s death probe

Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole
Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Thursday in Abuja called for the dismissal of the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Peter Gana,  who supervised the investigation into the murder of his private secretary, Olaitan Oyerinde.
Oshiomhole alleged that the DIG was shielding  the real killers and urged  President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in the matter.
He said the State Security Service apprehended Oyerinde’s suspected killers while the police arrested and detained an innocent civil rights activist, Rev. David Ugolor, for two months without trial in disobedience of a court order.
The governor, who canvassed for the scraping of the Police Affairs ministry on the grounds that it politicises the Force, noted that with a functional Police Service Commission, the country would not need a ministry in charge of police affairs.
The governor said this while delivering a key note address at the inauguration of a Code of Conduct for officers and men of the Nigeria Police, Vice-President, Namadi Sambo represented President Goodluck Jonathan.
Oshiomhole said, “I am aggrieved; I am aggrieved over the murder of my private secretary and the way in which it was trivialised.
“I am saying it knowing that the Vice President is here. My secretary was murdered in cold blood and you dispatched a DIG to supervise that investigation; a DIG is a sufficiently senior officer. They came to Benin and they did what Fela (Ransome-Kuti) would have called police magic.
“At the end, they went for a civil rights activist and charged him for the offence of murder.”
Oshiomhole alleged that the DIG conspired with other officers involved in the investigation to shield the killers of Oyerinde, saying they were no longer fit to wear police uniform.
He added, “The DIG Force CID has a case to answer; it is either he is guilty of conspiracy to murder or is guilty of conspiracy to shield murderers or both. In which case he cannot wear his police uniform, he must be dismissed.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Police that he used claimed that they had done a thorough job. He has no business wearing police uniform because by my judgment, in his own narrative, he is a criminal.”
The governor lamented that one of the problems of  Nigeria, including the police and even the civil service was the culture of impunity where people do things wrongly and got away with it.
In his response, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, said the case was still under investigation and assured the governor that the outcome of the probe would be made public.
Jonathan charged officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force to exhibit the finest ideals of professionalism in the discharge of their duties, and directed the IG to furnish him with details of assessment of police conduct on a quarterly basis.

Return toxic waste containers to UK – FG

Return toxic waste containers to UK – FG

Director General of the agency, Dr. Ngeri Benebo
Federal Government has ordered that the toxic waste containers on board MV Marivia Monrovia be returned to the port of origin in the United Kingdom.
The Director-General of National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, Dr. Ngeri Benebo, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday.
NAN reports that the Nigeria Customs Service and NESREA intercepted the ship with Liberian flag, which berthed at the Tin-Can Island Port on Wednesday.
The names of the importers are Messrs Moronuk David and Bonik Investment.
Some containers in the 23, 652-tonnage ship were laden with used televisions, computers, Central Processing Units, DVDs, microwaves, pressing irons and stereos.
Benebo said returning the consignment to the UK was in conformity with the provisions of Harmful Wastes Act, promulgated after the Koko waste saga.
She said, “We are sending the e-wastes back to the port of origin.’’
She said the agency was going to work according to the Nigerian laws on the matter, adding that the vessel owners would be sanctioned in line with the laws of the land.
The director-general said, “The captain wanted to deceive Nigerians. When he realised that there was a red alert on the containers, he lied that they were not destined for Nigeria and that they were for another country, which was false.
“I conferred with the Comptroller-General of Customs, who said that once it is manifested as Nigeria, the containers must be dropped and inspected in Nigeria,’’
 She noted that officials of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, the Customs Service and other security agencies, as directed by the comptroller-general, carried out the inspection of the containers.
Benebo, who said her agency acted on a tip off, noted that Nigeria would not be a dumping ground.
In 1988, a shipment of over 3,500 tonnes of toxic wastes from Italy was abandoned in Koko Port, a coastal community in Delta State.
Also in April 2010, the NCS detained a Maersk Line vessel, MV Nashiville, laden with toxic wastes, lead batteries classified as Basel code A1180 and broken televisions, while in June of the same year, it detained a ship, Mv Gumel, in Lagos port for bringing eight containers with materials suspected to be toxic wastes.
In October 2010, a vessel, MV Vera D, carrying three containers of toxic black and white televisions, was detained at the Tin-Can Port, Lagos. The toxic-laden containers were returned to the United States.
Last December, NESREA impounded four containers of used electronics described as “e-wastes” in Apapa port.