India's top police chief faces calls to resign over 'enjoy rape' remark

India's top cop is facing calls to resign after comparing betting in sport to rape, saying 'If you can't prevent it, you enjoy it'.
Ranjit Sinha, director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, which tackles corruption and other high-profile cases, has apologised for the remark but faced a backlash from rights campaigners.
The issue of sexual violence has been in the spotlight since the fatal gang rape of a young woman on a Delhi bus last year sparked nationwide protests.
Discussing whether sports betting should be legalised, Sinha told a CBI conference: "Do we have the enforcement?
"It is very easy to say that if you can't enforce it, it's like saying if you can't prevent rape, you enjoy it."
Civil campaigners and opposition politicians slammed the comments, saying they risked trivialising rape and raised questions over the CBI's ability to investigate serious sexual assault cases.
Sinha later apologised for his remarks in a statement, saying: "I regret any hurt caused.
"I gave my opinion that betting should be legalised and that if the laws cannot be enforced, that does not mean that laws should not be made.
"This is as erroneous as saying that if rape is inevitable one should lie back and enjoy it. I reiterate my deep sense of regard and respect for women and my commitment for gender issues."

Kavita Krishnan, an activist with the All India Progressive Women's Association, called for Sinha to step down.
"How can he remain the head of India's premier investigation agency?" she said.
Nirmala Sitharaman, spokeswoman for the main opposition group, the Bharatiya Janata Party, called the remarks "shocking".
"Wonder if his colleagues in the Bureau, his family and well-wishers approve of his view," she wrote on Twitter.
There were more than 24,000 reported rapes in India in 2011, but activists say the real number is many times higher.
Following a public outcry over the Delhi attack, India introduced tougher rape laws in March, which include the death penalty for repeat offenders and for those whose victims are left in a "vegetative state".
The row comes at a bad time for the CBI, widely accused of acting as a tool for the government to pressure political rivals. Its very legality is also being challenged in court.
The CBI, which is similar to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States, was set up to fight corruption by government employees, but also investigates other important cases, including murder, rape and terrorism.

US declares Boko Haram as terror group

Former President of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Dr. Festus Iyayi, was killed this afternoon in a fatal auto accident in Lokoja, on his way to Kano state for a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of ASUU where the union is expected to call off its four month old strike. It's being reported that the convoy of the Governor of Kogi State, Mr. Idris Wada, rammed into the vehicle conveying Professor Iyayi and some members of the union to Kano. The university don who is also a popular writer, died on the scene while two other occupants of the vehicle were injured.

US declares Boko Haram as terror group

The United States has Wednesday designated radical Islamist sects, Ahl as-Sunnah lid-daʻwa wal-Jihād, also known as Boko Haram and Ansaru as foreign terrorist organisations, FTOs. “These designations are an important and appropriate step, but only one tool in what must be a comprehensive approach by the Nigerian government to counter these groups … to help root out violent extremism,” the State Department said in a statement. A picture taken from a video distributed to journalists in recent days through intermediaries and obtained by AFP on March 5, 2013 reportedly shows Abubakar Shekau (C), the suspected leader of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, flanked by six armed and hooded fighters in an undisclosed place. A picture taken from a video distributed to journalists in recent days through intermediaries and obtained by AFP on March 5, 2013 reportedly shows Abubakar Shekau (C), the suspected leader of Nigerian Islamist extremist group Boko Haram, flanked by six armed and hooded fighters in an undisclosed place. The State Department’s statement, quoted by agencies reports, reads: ”In the last several years, Boko Haram and Ansaru have been responsible for thousands of deaths in northeast and central Nigeria, including dozens of attacks on churches and mosques, targeted killings of civilians, and the 2011 suicide bombing of the United Nations building in Abuja that killed 21 people and injured dozens more,” White House homeland security advisor Lisa Monaco said in a statement. “By cutting these terrorist organizations off from US financial institutions and enabling banks to freeze assets held in the United States, these designations demonstrate our strong support for Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and its efforts to address security challenges in the north.” “All of our assistance to Nigeria stresses the importance of protecting civilians and ensuring that human rights are respected. That assistance and these designations demonstrate US support for the Nigerian people’s fight against Boko Haram and Ansaru,” the State Department said. Vanguard checks on the US Department of State’s website revealed that Boko Haram and Ansaru were listed as number 52 and 53, respectively, on the Foreign Terrorist Organisations list. Other FTOs on the list are; HAMAS, Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), al-Qa’ida (AQ), al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Indian Mujahedeen (IM), al-Shabaab, Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army (CPP/NPA), Real Irish Republican Army (RIRA) among others.

ASUU set to suspend strike this week

stricking ish

ASUU president, Fagge

Indications have emerged that the  Academic Staff Union of Universities may call off the over four-month-old strike on Thursday.

Barring a last-minute change, the National Executive Committee of ASUU will meet on Wednesday night to consider the position of the congresses of the over 50 public universities on the offer made by the Federal government to revamp the institutions.

The  union met with  a Federal Government team led by President Goodluck Jonathan

The  ASUU leadership, after briefing the zonal coordinators  on  the offer, had directed the local branches   to organise  congress meetings between Friday last week and Tuesday (tomorrow).

This is to enable all the lecturers to make input into the action the union would take after its NEC meeting on Thursday.

However, feelers from most universities that had organised their congresses revealed that ASUU  would suspend the strike after the  Thursday NEC meeting.

In  some universities, including the Obafemi Awolowo University and the Lagos State University that have scheduled their congress meetings for Monday (today),  union leaders and lecturers expressed hope that the strike would end this week.

Also, some top officials of the union in some of the nine zones of ASUU said even though they were not happy with the plan by the government to inject N220bn yearly into the public universities for the next five years, they were pleased that a commitment had been obtained by the union.

Though the Ibadan Zonal Coordinator of ASUU, Dr. Nasir Adesola, confirmed that the NEC meeting would hold on Wednesday, he did not say whether the strike would be called off or not.

“Yes, the NEC will hold on Wednesday evening but ASUU has a process which we are going to follow. NEC reserves the right to call off the strike after due consultation with members and this is why congresses are being called in all the chapters of the union. Please, wait till after the congress,” he told one of our correspondents on the telephone.

But another  source said, “Our NEC meeting will hold between Wednesday night and Thursday. Our chapters have started holding meetings to discuss the Federal Government’s offer. This is to allow input from all the lecturers. We have to carry them along to avoid disunity since there are moves by some elements to infiltrate us.”

Another source told one of our correspondents that some members had expressed mixed feelings about the Federal Government’s  new offer based on its refusal to honour  past  agreements.

“The radicals among us are  sceptical about this latest offer. They do  not believe that government will respect the agreement. Their view is  that government only wants  to deceive the union to call off the strike before it will jettison it.”

A top official of the union,  who confirmed the fears,  told one of  our correspondents that although members’ opinions at the zonal congresses were divided over the government’s offer, the majority still decided to give  the government the benefit of the doubt.

He also said that  the majority opinion was that the review of the agreement which was supposed to hold this year should be postponed till next year in the interest of peace.

 The official added, “Members were persuaded because President Goodluck Jonathan personally met with the union. They felt since the President was involved in the negotiation this time around, the government would not say that it was arm-twisted to make the offer.

“This is the problem we are having with the 2009 agreement. By now we should be talking about a review but we are still having troubles with implementation.

“Although feelers across the zones are that we should call off the strike, we are going to put down the government offer in black and white and make it public so that nobody accuses us tomorrow  of  asking for too much.”

Some universities are expected to hold their congresses on Monday (today) to discuss the outcome of the zonal congresses held at nine centres across the country last week.

A source at the meeting  between the government and ASUU   told one of our  correspondents  that the government after a long debate agreed to inject N220bn yearly for the next five years beginning from 2014.

He had said, “The meeting should be the longest that we have ever had on this crisis but I can tell you that both parties were frank all through the discussions. The parties also showed commitment towards ending the crisis. The President in particular showed that he was serious about ending the strike and that was why he offered to release over N1tn to the universities in the next five years.

“The money will be released on a yearly basis at N220bn per annum beginning from 2014. For the outgoing year, the Federal Government will only release N100bn and this has been processed.

“In order to show commitment to this deal, the money will be kept at the Central Bank of Nigeria  and will be released on a quarterly basis to the universities. So, there won’t be any problem about funding the deal.”

The source added that the National Universities Commission and the Trade Union Congress would be joint guarantors of  the new agreement while the Minister of Education would be the implementation officer.

He said  that the  government  also agreed, among other things, to revamp the public universities by ensuring that all the issues that always lead to strike were dealt with once and for all.

Spanish police arrest 25 Nigerians for ‘sex trafficking’

Spanish police say they have arrested 25 people in a sex-trafficking ring that brought women from Nigeria to work as prostitutes. The women, allegedly lured with the promise of good jobs in Europe, were first flown to Mexico or Brazil, travelling on false identity documents. From there, they were flown to Paris, then smuggled into Spain to work in the sex trade, police say. Five women who were victims of the sex ring were freed in the raids. Police found one member of the gang performing an abortion on one of the five women, reports the BBC. Arrests were made across Spain – in Madrid, Toledo, Cantabria and Palma de Mallorca. More than 100 vans concealing luxury goods were also seized. The gang used the vans to launder their profits and send them back to Lagos, police say. The vans, with dark-tinted windows and welded doors, were stocked full of beer but had luxury items hidden deeper inside. Goods worth an estimated 5m euros (£4.1m; $6.6m) were found in 94 vans seized in Madrid and another 26 in the port of Valencia, including high-end televisions and cases of alcohol. Police say the gang was formed more than 20 years ago in Nigerian universities and was also known for sending so-called Nigerian letters by email, asking recipients to send money. n9ja na wa oh

Mall massacre suspects handcuffed in the dock: Four Somalians appear in court accused of helping gunmen carry out Kenya terror attack which left at least 67 dead

Charged: Abdi Mohamed Ahmed, Liban Abdulle Omar, Adan Mohamed Ibrahim and Hussein Mustafa Hassan, were today charged in connection with the Kenyan Westgate mall massacre in September

Four Somalians have appeared in court charged with carrying out the terror attack at the Westgate shopping Mall in Kenya, by supporting the gunmen who slaughtered at least 67 people. In total at least 67 people died when al-Shabaab gunman carried out the siege at Westgate in Nairobi on September 21. Children as young as five were shot up to five times by the terrorists. Hussein Mustafa Hassan, Adan Mohamed Ibrahim, Liban Abdulle Omar and Abdi Mohamed Ahmed pleaded not guilty to charges of carrying out a terrorist attack by supporting a terrorist group. All four are ethic Somalis and in their 20s. They pleaded not guilty to the charges, which also included entering Kenya illegally and obtaining false identification documents. None are accused of being among the four gunmen in the mall who carried out the attack, who are all believed to have died during the four-day siege. The suspects, who had no lawyer, were remanded in custody for one week after the prosecution asked for more time for further investigations. Interpol is assisting Kenya in trying to identify four bodies suspected to be the gunmen, police said last week. Witnesses in the mall described how the fighters stormed the crowded complex, firing from the hip and hurling grenades at shoppers and staff. The gunmen coldly executed scores of people, with witnesses recounting how in some cases they called out to those wounded, then shot them at close range. The Kenyan Red Cross has said some 20 people are still missing, and there are fears more bodies could be found in the wreckage of the mall. Some of those charged were arrested in Kenya’s northwestern desert refugee camp of Kakuma, a vast settlement home to over 125,000 refugees from across the region, including Somalia. Detectives are continuing to investigate a possible link to Norway, with Ndegwa Muhoro, head of Kenya’s Police Criminal Investigation Department, saying last week that a telephone call was made to the country from the mall during the attack. A Norwegian citizen of Somali origin is suspected of being one of the attackers, a 23-year-old named in media reports as Hassan Abdi Dhuhulow. Norway’s PST intelligence agency has said it has investigated reports about the possible involvement of a Norwegian of Somali origin in both planning and carrying out the attack, but has declined to comment if Dhuhulow was involved. After the attack, the Shabab threatened further attacks against Kenya, after Nairobi refused to pull its troops out of Somalia, warning that, 'rivers of blood will flow in Nairobi.” Kenya invaded southern Somalia to attack Shabab bases two years ago, and later joined the 17,700-strong African Union force deployed in the country. In Somalia, efforts continue to target the Shabab, with a US drone strike killing the extremists’ top suicide bomb-maker last week.

BBM records 80 million active users

Following the launch of BBM on Android and iPhone devices recently, with more than 10 million downloads in the first 24 hours, BBM has now ended its first week with more than 80 million monthly active users, including over 20 million new users on Android and iPhone devices. It would recalled that during its first week, BBM was the top free overall app in 35 countries in Google Play and in 107 countries in the App StoreSM, and continues to maintain a strong position in key markets such as Canada, the US, the UK, Indonesia and much of the Middle East, to name a few. “It is great to see so many people downloading BBM, but the true measurement for us is engagement – the connections being made and the conversations in which our BBM community engages. The power of BBM has always been the active, real conversations and interaction that our customers enjoy,” said Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President of BBM at BlackBerry, adding that, “From here on out, we will focus on active users of BBM and will no longer focus on simple download numbers.” With the BBM community now at more than 80 million active users around the globe, users are connecting on the private social network like never before. This past weekend, BlackBerry was able to remove the virtual line-up so that Android and iPhone users can now immediately download, sign in and start using BBM without having to wait. Interestingly, BBM users are enjoying the immediacy and control that BBM offers as they chat with their new contacts – either one-to-one, in multi-person chats or as part of a BBM Group. The delivered and read statuses, as well as the message-in-progress alert, keep people engaged and active in conversations on BBM. BBM users can also share files such as photos, and voice notes, as well as update their statuses with ease. BBM Groups allows photo, calendar, chat and file sharing for up to 30 people in a user-generated community. Every BBM user has a unique PIN that helps maintain privacy, so users never have to give out their phone number or email address to a new or casual contact. BlackBerry ID connects with a person’s PIN, BBM contact list and services to make device switching quick and easy. The BBM experience will continue to evolve. In the coming months, BlackBerry will deliver BBM Video calling, BBM Voice calling and BBM Channels – a new community building service to connect BBM users even more broadly – to Android and iPhone users.

I’ve put myself in front of a mirror, off my clothes … – Lady Gaga

PARIS (AFP) – Multi-platinum selling diva Lady Gaga is fighting to keep her ‘Queen of Pop’ crown with a hotly-anticipated third album, but early reception in the US and Britain has been lukewarm. “Artpop” signals a return to the limelight for Stefani Germanotta — known as Lady Gaga on stage and in video — after she was forced to tone down her usually ubiquitous media presence to undergo hip surgery. “For ArtPop, in a symbolic way, I’ve put myself in front of a mirror, I’ve taken off my clothes, then the makeup, then the wigs, I’ve dressed myself with a black jumpsuit and I’ve told myself: ‘Now, you have to prove you can be brilliant without all that’”, Lady Gaga told the magazine Grazia. Gaga Gaga Even before its official release next week, “Artpop” has been making the headlines. The 27-year-old New Yorker, who established her reputation on chart-topping songs and surrounded herself with a constant media buzz, streamed the new album this week after it was leaked. The artist also hinted at an out-of-this-world publicity splash for the album’s official launch — a concert in space. The US Weekly magazine reported that Lady Gaga plans to undergo a month of special vocal training to perform in early 2015 aboard the Virgin Galactic, the passenger spaceplane being launched by British billionaire Richard Branson to popularise space tourism. While the third album suggest Lady Gaga’s increasing artistic ambitions, critics in Britain and the US are not so convinced. “The intention of the album was to put art culture into pop music, a reverse of Warhol. Instead of putting pop onto the canvas, we wanted to put the art onto the soup can,” Lady Gaga said in an interview in Britain’s Daily Mail. Lady Gaga has collaborated with a number of world famous contemporary artists, including Jeff Koons for the album’s artwork, showing her as a post-modern Botticellian Venus. But on a first hearing “Artpop” returns to familiar themes — desire, sex, drugs, identity, celebrity, fashion, creativity — and sounds more like Lady Gaga’s previous albums “The Fame” and “Born this way” than it does a totally new musical experiment. “There’s certainly some decent pop on Lady Gaga’s new album — but the ‘art’ part is rather harder to discern”, said the British newspaper The Guardian. The verdict was echoed across the Atlantic. “Lady Gaga’s latest extravagant exploration of her own fame, fabulousness and fearlessness is undeniably relentless, but that doesn’t mean it’s consistently entertaining,” said USA Today. “Musically, it’s as big and bold, unpredictable and diverse as Gaga herself with enough hooks and ABBA-esque choruses to keep any pop fan smiling through Christmas and beyond,” said the online Huffington Post. “If Gaga wants to be taken seriously as an ‘artist’ (like all the arty farty posturing and avant garde styling would suggest) then she really needs to spend more than five minutes jotting down the first rhyming couplets that spring to her mind.

Miley Cyrus lights a dubious hand rolled cigarette as she and Katy Perry lead the winners at the MTV EMA awards

One Direction were the evening’s biggest winners with two awards, but their thunder was stolen in controversial fashion by Miley Cyrus, whose latest onstage attempt at distancing herself from Hannah Montana saw her light a very suspicious looking cigarette. The 20-year-old singer had already turned heads when she opened 2013 MTV Europe Video Music Awards with a twerk heavy performance of We Can’t Stop. Dressed in silver spandex, Miley danced with a female dwarf before finishing the performance with her trademark lolling tongue - a move that mirrored her performance with Robin Thicke at the MTV Video Music Awards in August.

Man rapes, kills 10-yr-old cousin

mehnn this is too bad.....according to the vanguard OSOGBO — A 26-year-old man, Rafiu Idowu, is being detained by the Osun State Police Command for allegedly killing his 10-year-old cousin, Tawa Bilawu, after he allegedly raped her. Idowu who confessed to have committed the offence, said the victim lured him into raping her when she paid a visit to him at his family residence at Ile-Ogbo in Ayedire Local Government Area of the state. The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, for the state Police Command, Mrs Folashade Odoro, said the suspect, who is currently in Police custody, was arrested by a team of detectives from the State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr Mohammed Jimoh. According to the PPRO, the suspect who recently returned to the state from Lagos also smokes indian hemp. The police claimed the suspect admitted that the deceased was his relative who pays him regular visit at his residence, adding that the late Bilawu was known to every member of his family. The suspect said: “Tawa Bilawu met me at the passage of my house when she came to visit me on that fateful day. I asked her where she was going and she said somebody sent her somewhere but she decided to check on me. “Bilawu later dragged me into my room where she removed my trousers and both of us went on bed. Then, Bilawu put my penis into her private part and started shouting. I then asked her the reason for the alarm. “The alarm raised by Bilawu was after two minutes of sexual intercourse between us. When she started shouting, I got hold of her neck and nose and pressed them till she died.” He admitted that the late Bilawu never had intercourse with him prior to the one that led to her death. The state Commissioner of Police, Mrs Dorothy Gimba, has however directed that the case be investigated and the suspect arraigned. - See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/11/man-rapes-kills-10-yr-old-cousin/#sthash.pf6BuKtt.dpuf

Glo signs D’banj, Wande Coal as ambassadors

Dapo ‘D’banj’ Oyebanjo has re-signed a multi-million Naira brand endorsement deal with Globacom Nigeria, according to Nigeria Entertainment Today. A source says the Pop star has inked his second endorsement deal with the Nigerian telecommunications company after weeks of deliberations. D’banj who had once been an ambassador of the telecom giant three years ago, now joins the likes of heavyweight contemporary musicians PSquare as well as recently unveiled ambassadors Naeto C, M.I, Lynxxx, Bez, Burna Boy, Flavour, Waje, Omawumi, and little known Chee. dbanj-wande-new Wande Coal however made his more public by twitting about the latest deal, joined the tall list of Globacom ambassadors. ‘Thank you to God the almighty & big thank u to my faithful fans for all your support through the years.I’m the newest Glo Ambassador in Town‘, he tweeted. Wande has parted ways with former record label Mavin Records and launched his very own outfit Black Diamond Entertainment. Exact figures of both endorsement deals were not immediately available. coool

Messi out for 6-8 weeks due to torn hamstring — Barcelona

BARCELONA – Barcelona’s Argentine star Lionel Messi will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks due to a muscle tear in his left hamstring muscle, the Spanish giants said Monday. The 26-year-old limped off after just 20 minutes of Barcelona’s 4-1 win over Real Betis on Sunday and was replaced by Andres Iniesta. It was the third time this season that he has been forced off with a muscular problem following hamstring and thigh injuries in his right leg. “The club’s medical services confirmed after tests this Monday morning that Leo Messi has a torn hamstring muscle in his left thigh and is expected to miss the next 6 to 8 weeks,” Barcelona said in a statement. “The first phase of Messi’s recovery will be covered in Barcelona and he will then travel to Buenos Aires,” it added. After Sunday’s match Barcelona boss Gerardo Martino said Messi’s injury troubles were not related and the absence of the four-time World Player of the Year could never be used as en excuse for the team to not perform. “We have the best player in the world, but we also have four or five of the next six or seven best players in the world. Therefore, as a coach, the absence of Messi should never be used as an excuse for not winning. “The injury to Messi doesn’t have anything to do with the previous ones because it is in the other leg. “We also need to speak with Leo, it is the third episode he has had in a short time so it is obviously playing on his mind.” Lionel Messi Lionel Messi Messi suffered a bruised thigh during the first leg od the Spanish Super Cup against Atletico Madrid which kept him out for a week. He then suffered a small muscle tear in his right thigh during a La Liga match against Almeria on September 28 which sidelined him for three weeks. Last week Messi said on Chinese social networking site Weibo at the weekend he was still not fully fit. “Physically I am still not at 100 percent but I am confident that as I play more matches I will recover my rhythm,” he said. Despite losing Messi with the score still at 0-0, Barcelona cruised to victory as two goals in two minutes from Neymar and Pedro Rodriguez put them 2-0 up at the break and Cesc Fabregas struck twice after the interval. The win left Barcelona with 37 points from 13 games, ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid. Fabregas said he understood Messi’s frustration, but that it was possibly best for his teammate to sit out a couple of weeks to recover his best form. “Messi needs to be explosive to stand out and he needs to stop for as long as it requires to be ok,” the midfielder said after Sunday’s match. “The same thing has happened to me in the past and it is very frustrating.” Fabregas also limped off after appearing to injure his knee whilst scoring his second of the night. The club said Monday he has a sprained knee ligament and will need roughly one week to recover..baca fans just take it easy...

OJB discharged from hospital after kidney transplant

Song writer, singer and producer OJB Jezreel has been discharged from an Indian hospital after his successful kidney transplant. *OJB, well again! *OJB, well again! The ‘searching’ hit maker broke the news himself today in a statement Dear fellow Nigerians, Greetings from far away India! I am sure this note from me will catch you with a little surprise. I have been reading a lot of news about me being published on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and different blogs by my good friends. I thought I must take out a quick moment and let you know that I am officially discharged today from the hospital, after a successful Kidney Transplantation Surgery, by God’s Grace. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Nigerians for your prayers and good wishes, without which all this would not have been possible. I also take this opportunity to thank my friends, fans and family for all the love, prayers and good wishes for a Speedy Recovery!! Be home with you soon……. Thank you once again sincerely, Your very own OJB Jezreel. His story broke millions of hearts across the globe as he struggled to raise a much need $100, 000 for his kidney transplant until Governor Amaechi and scores of other Nigerians intervened with cash donations. hmm this is good news.

Davido to give out N1m to fans wooh!

Music sensation Davido, whose real name is David Adedeji Adeleke has tweeted that he will be giving away the sum of N1 million on his 21st birthday which comes up on 21st of this month. If you missed that of last year, when the music star gave out N500,000 to fans you may be lucky this year as the star who was born November 21st, 1992 turn 21 in fifteen days time is thinking of doubling the amount spent last year. Davido tweeter’s handle is @iam_davido And his tweet reads Last year I gave out 500k on bday this year we double up! 1M! The tweet as at the time of filing this report enjoyed 54 favourites and has been re tweeted about 547 times. So should you want to partake in this birthday gift from Davido shouldn’t you join the train?

i would keep you updated, thank me later lolss

I have attempted GUS three times – Dennis Okike, winner, GUS 10 .yap! thats the spirit the world needs.

dennis okike

It was a colourful ceremony last weekend at the Le’ Meridien Hotel, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, when the winner of the popular television reality show, Gulder Ultimate Search Season 10, Dennis Okike was unveiled. Anchored by the task master himself, Chidi Mokeme, the event which has the governor of the host state, Godswill Akpabio in attendance with members of his cabinet also witnessed the unveiling of winner of the one day ultimate fans edition in the person of Comrade Kalu Kalu. He smiled home with an SUV and a mouth watering cash prize. Number one African rapper, MI spiced up the event as he thrilled the audience with his electrifying performance. However, elated Okike shares his experience while in the jungle, as well as what he intends to do with the N10 million prize money. How do you feel as the winner of the 10th edition of Gulder Ultimate Search? I have longed for this for three years. I worked very hard and I prayed to become the winner.. It was not my own personal efforts, God has hand in it, and without God I would not get to where I am today. While the search lasted, you suddenly became daring which was not part of you from the beginning? My parents will always say when you are in a different environment, observe the people, and the environment very well. When I was in the jungle I had to learn from people, and their mistakes, and not to make the same mistake. I learned from my own mistakes too. I kept pushing forward; I never allowed anything to distract me. What was your most challenging task in the jungle? It was the first individual task that we had. I had to go under the log. I don’t want to remember it again. It was very humiliating, but as God would have it, I was second to the last person in the task. It is just that whatever situation you find yourself in, if you think you are actually the last, you nee to remain focus and be prayerful. It’s not how far, but how wel! How would you describe this year’s GUS? Gulder Ultimate Search is a television reality show that takes place yearly. I have tried it for three years. Last year, I got to the final stage, but I was not picked. I kept on trying until I entered the jungle this year. GUS is different from other reality shows, you could see it on TV how it is like. It is glaring for everyone to see. It is not artificial, it is original. Now that you have won teh show, what’s the next level for you? It is God first. He will lead me to my next level. I have lots of ideas, just like every other young man out there. I have to allow God direct my path. Whatever He says I will take it up from there. N10 million is a lot of money, but it does not change anything. If one doesn’t plan well, one will just blow it up, but if you plan ahead of time and you let God take control, you will achieve great success. When you found the Golden Scepter, what came to your mind? The experience was out of this world. It was something every other contestant wanted to experience; God actually helped me to discover the Golden Scepter. There were instances I would have been evicted, but God made me to come out a winner. Finding the Golden Scepter was the climax of it all, and I realised God’s faithfulness in my life. God was actually with me all through. He actually proved that all my fasting and prayers are not in vain. Every effort I put in to get to the last stage actually came to pass. I give God the glory. It was not easy. Who do you consider the most challenging person among the last four contestants? The truth is, finding the Golden Scepter could be anybody; I know Ifunanya has great ability and instinct just as I do, it could have been her. But the point is that it could be anybody. The person I actually believe was going to find it is myself. I know myself to the extent that if I really want to something I don’t care what happen, I go ahead and do it. I told myself that if I didn’t find it, I will not forgive myself; each time I was searching I kept on praying. What is going to change about you now that you have N10 million and a new car? Nothing will change about me, it is just that I am a new personality, money can change your personality. But I am still going to be the same me. Anybody can actually have the same opportunity, but it depends on what you make of it. You can get N10million and in the next six months you are nowhere, but the truth is that I already have plans for myself. But by now you would have thought of what you want to do with the money? The truth is that you don’t make choice in a hurry. I might decide to further my education as an engineer. But along the line, something might just come up, we have too much potential in this country. I will work and pray about it and let God decide for me. What He wants me to do that is what I will do. What were the responses in your family when you won? The joy in my family was out of this world. Tears of joy ran down my mom’s cheeks as well as my siblings. I am the only son and I know what will be going through their minds right now.

  never give up on anything, not even phcn! hard work pays

mehn wth! Cossy hits gold mine, insures boobs for N256m

Nollywood actress, Cossy Orjiakor who has gained a sensational sex identity is currently a happy woman as she is set to hit another gold mine with her endowment. The actress was reported to have agreed to a deal to insure her bloated mammary glands for a whooping $1.6million amounting to N256million. The deal according to source, was introduced to her by an American friend who also dragged Enhanced Silicon Inc. responsible for insuring breasts of famous foreign celebrities into the deal. The company, which insured the bosóms of Pamela Anderson and Dolly Parton agreed to the deal just before Cossy’s recent birthday bash, where she displayed her endowments for the world to see. The booby actress will be travelling to Los Angeles in two weeks to sign on the dotted lines. “I specifically asked for $1.6 million,” Cossy was quoted as saying. As part of the deal awaiting her signature, there will be limits on how many men and women who would touch her bósoms each month. Also, the bósoms have all been given names and must now be treated as people in future movie roles. That means that Enhanced Silicon Inc. will determine how much a movie producer will pay each bosóm for an appearance in a movie. “The downside of the deal is that I may get dressed’, Cossy added. Cossy seems pretty excited about the deal as sources maintained that each of the endowment will be named and anyone who prefers to touch will have to pay for it just as Enhanced Silicon Inc. will henceforth, decide the amount producers will pay per breast, for appearance in a movie.

tonto and the bangalee of life! what do you think?

Tonto Dikeh’s name is synonymous with controversy. And the latest buzz that she’s gotten quite close to the hit maker, D’banj in recent times may not make any difference to her. The internet went viral during the week, dropping the bombshell that the controversial actress-turned-singer has been spotted hanging around the Koko master’s Lekki residence at odd hour. Those in the know said, Tonto is currently recording her new songs at the studio in D’banj’s house. The hit maker is said to be planning to sign her to his Records label as he once stated that if he signs her, she will definitely blow. The new song she’s recording at D’banj’s studio is described as a banger. But guess what! Mouths are wagging that there are more to Tonto’s closeness to D’banj than meets the eyes.

NIGERIA REAL GAINTS! .. WINS THE FIFA U-17 WORLD CUP

Golden Eaglets of Nigeria yesterday made history by becoming the most successful team in FIFA U-17 World Cup when it recorded a 3-0 win over defending champions, Mexico at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi to win the 2013 edition in a classical style. Prior to the finals, Nigeria had earlier won the trophy in 1985, 1993 and 2007. Apart from being the country that has won the trophy more than any other team, the Golden Eaglets also holds the record of being the highest runners- up of the biennial cadet world Cup; having played in three finals. The final which was a re-match of the 6-1 win the Golden Eaglets inflicted on their Mexican counterparts during the Group stage of the competition, saw Nigeria which did not lose any match in the tournament winning the title for a record 4th time , one better than South American giants Brazil. At the beginning of the match, the defending champions who also doubles as CONCACAF champions looked dangerous in the opening minutes, keeping the ball for a full two minutes, moving it around and making Nigerians chase them. El Tri even managed the first chance on goal after six minutes. Osvaldo Rodriguez crossed from the left, but Alejandro Diaz couldn’t keep his close-range effort the right side of the post. Two minutes on and Ivan Ochoa – who scored twice in the semi-final win over Argentina – saw his off-balance header pushed over the bar by Dele Alampasu. The resultant corner kick was wasted by the Mexicans and Nigeria benefitted from it greatly through a well coordinated counter-attack. Kelechi Iheanacho collected the ball with only one Mexican defender in position. He wasted no time in putting a good pass across to Taiwo Awoniyi who then gave it to Musa Yahaya whose shot was mistakenly tapped into the net by Mexican midfielder Erick Aguirre in the 9th minute for the first goal of the match. After the opening goal, the Golden Eaglets increased the tempo of their attack with Musa Mohammed troubling the Mexican defence with his good runs thereby not allowing them to operate freely at both the midfield and attack. However the Eaglets were happy to end the first half with a goal lead. At the beginning of the second half, both teams tried to score an early goal with constant attacks on each other’s 18-yardbox but it was the Golden Eaglets who were luckier, making it 2-0 in the 56th minute when team Captain Musa Mohammed unleashed a curling shot that the Mexican keeper, Raul Gudino, had no answer to. With a quarter of an hour to the end of regulation time, Mexico managed to carve out a rare second-half chance, but Ochoa’s header from close-range slipped wide off as the South Americans began to cave in under the ceaseless pressure of the Nigerians. Mohammed added a third goal with less than ten minutes to go, curling a sublime free-kick into the top-right corner to earn the Eaglets a 3-0 win. Speaking during a post match interview, Golden Eaglets coach, Manu Garba, noted that he was elated with the performance of the team. “It is not only that we won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in UAE, but the team was the most entertaining team of the tournament, highest goal scoring side and the most consistent team of the championship. “The final was a super display by the Nigerians, and I hope that the team will graduate to the U-20 national side, the Flying Eagles. “I am very happy that we won the trophy for a record 4th time and I want to put on record that the win is an indication that the team has character, discipline and determination. “The win is not only for Nigerians, but the entire African continent. So I want to congratulate Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world for this great feat. “If given an opportunity by the Nigeria Football Federation to lead the team again, I will be proud to take it up and I wish Isaac Success quick recovery from the injury he had during the competition,” Garba said. Jonathan hosts victorious Eaglets tomorrow Yuguda, Uduaghan, Kalu, Wada praise team President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday congratulated the Golden Eaglets of Nigeria on their 3-0 triumph over Mexico in the final match of the 2013 FIFA Under-17 World Soccer Championship in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirate. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the president said on behalf of himself, the Federal Government and all Nigerians congratulated the Eaglets. In fulfillment of his promise of a heroes’ welcome for the triumphant Golden Eaglets on their return home, Jonathan would host a grand reception for the team at the Banquet Hall of the State House tomorrow at 7p.m. According to him, the reception is in appreciation of the great honour and glory they have brought to their fatherland. Jonathan said he joined other very proud and happy Nigerians in saluting the glorious achievement of the Eaglets in winning the Under-17 Soccer championship for an unprecedented fourth time. The president commended the Eaglets for the exemplary commitment, dedication, resilience, determination, patriotism and unity of purpose they displayed through the tournament to make Nigeria the World’s Under-17 Football Champion once again. The president also urged the leadership of the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to strive to ensure that the world-conquering Eaglets, who have shown such immense potentials as youngsters, are properly nurtured, trained and developed to represent the nation at higher levels in future international football competitions. Similarly, Delta State governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, while congratulating the team said the victory was a reflection of the resilience in the Nigerian spirit. ‘Despite our challenges, diversity and divisions, the Golden Eaglets have shown that we are a united people and that our greatness will become manifest as we join hands in spite of all odds to build a great Nation”, he said. Also, the governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada, in his reaction, said the victory was a moral booster and a further confirmation of the ‘can do spirit’ of an average Nigerian. The governor described the victory as a deliberate demonstration of the supremacy of the Nigerian side over their rivals. Bauchi State governor, Isa Yuguda, said the Eaglets, were “wonderfully professionals who have brought joy to all Nigerians irrespective of ethnoreligious differences.” Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, in his congratulatory message said the Eaglets had made Nigeria proud by winning the title and becoming the first team to do so four times. “The victory is even sweeter when considered against the backdrop that the boys are certified to be truly under-17 and can conveniently graduate into the senior teams in the years ahead. Now, we are serious about rejuvenating our age grade football,” he said.