R2Bees – “Makoma” (Prod. By KayWa)

Ghanaian boy hip-hop/hiplife group, R2Bees which comprises ofMugeez and Paedae, step out with this thrilling joint titled“Makoma”. “Makoma” is a love song. The boy band literally profess their love for a lady. The song is on the cool side but the beats will definitely get you nodding and the credit goes to KayWa for a nice production.

Download & Enjoy. Don’t forget to share the love.
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Please support me, Jonathan begs North

President Goodluck Jonathan has begged the North, specifically the North-East geo-political zone, to support and vote for him on Saturday.

Jonathan in a letter titled, ‘My dear Arewa brothers and sisters’, which he personally signed, said it would be unfair for anyone to blame him for the Boko Haram menace which resulted in the death of over 15,000 Nigerians.

The President admitted that his administration initially underestimated the menace and that was why the terrorists were able to kill many Nigerians.

He added that the menace was compounded by the lack of equipment.

The President, however, said the successes recorded by the Armed Forces in the last six weeks showed that he was indeed capable of curbing terrorism. He, therefore, called on northerners to vote for him in order to perfect the work he had started.

He said, “I do understand that my first duty to you at this time is to rid the entire North of the menace of Boko Haram and secure your lives and property. You and I know that nothing in Nigeria’s past prepared us for the unprecedented reign of unmitigated terror, mayhem and destruction which these murderous terrorists have visited on parts of our country.

“The initial slowness in effectively responding to the threat was as a result of the asymmetrical nature of the war on terror and the need for us to properly equip our security agencies for the successful prosecution of the war.

“Given the recent successes recorded by our Armed Forces with your cooperation and patriotic support, the cooperation of our neighbours as well as the laudable gallantry of security agents, I am confident that in the shortest possible time, the menace of Boko Haram would have been eliminated for good.”

Jonathan’s inability to curb terrorism had made him very unpopular in some northern states to the extent that he was stoned in some of the states while he was campaigning.

Jonathan said he and the people of the South-South geo-political zone supported his late predecessor, Umaru Yar’Adua who was from the North.

He, therefore, urged them to do the same for him.

He said, “Because Nigeria today is in desperate need of stability, I plead with you to join me in building on the foundation of the traditional alliance between us which has always served to keep Nigeria one strong, united and prosperous nation,” he said.

The soaring popularity of Jonathan’s main rival, Maj.Gen Muhammadu Buhari (retd), of the All Progressives Congress, among the Arewa community seems to have jolted the President.

The Vice President, Namadi Sambo, also met northerners in Lagos on Thursday to beg them to vote for Jonathan for the sake of national peace and unity.

Incidentally, the wife of the President, Patience Jonathan, who has been campaigning for her husband, has avoided visiting the North-West and the North-East.

No plot to rig for APC – INEC

Lagos—THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, dismissed as baseless reports that it had hatched plots to the rig tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly polls for the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the polls will be free, fair and credible.

Indeed, to ensure that voting begins early tomorrow, the electoral commission, yesterday, moved sensitive election materials like ballot papers to the local councils, which in turn would be moved to the wards today. Tomorrow, the materials will be moved to the polling units and voting points.

At the INEC Lagos office, yesterday, electoral officers were at hand to collect the materials amid tight security. Hordes of Mobile police men were at hand and two Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) were strategically parked in front the commission.

Reacting to a front page advertorial ‘Exposed: How Jega plots to rig election for APC’ on some national newspapers on Wednesday,  Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Robert Idowu, in a statement said the allegation is baseless.

Stating that the advert was placed by a faceless group, which  cited the constitution of a presidential election result collation committee by the INEC chairman as the basis for its allegation that a plot to rig the election has been hatched, Idowu said ‘’INEC would not have bothered to respond to such patently cynical and malicious allegation, but for the fact that the elections are days away and otherwise respectable national newspapers have lent themselves to be used as platforms to disseminate such falsehood. Any misinformation, – even as baseless as in this particular case – unless corrected could mislead innocent or undiscerning members of the public and cause unnecessary apprehension about the credibility of the electoral process.’’

He said: ‘’The Commission affirms that the allegation to manipulate or rig the election is completely false and baseless. The Chairman of the Commission as the Chief Electoral Commissioner of Nigeria and the Returning Officer of the presidential election, has statutory and legal powers to constitute administrative committee(s) to facilitate the performance of his duties.

The constitution of an in-house committee to assist in the collation process after the presidential election is purely an administrative arrangement to assist the Chairman. Members of the committee are officials of the Commission. They work as professionals and non-partisan technocrats and have sworn to the oath of neutrality in the execution of their official duties. They are drawn from the Operations, ICT and Legal departments of the Commission as well as the Office of the Chairman. This arrangement is not new and was the same as during the 2011 general elections.

‘’INEC condemns these sinister and unpatriotic attempts to create unnecessary controversies aimed at discrediting the Commission through dissemination of falsehood.

The Commission assures Nigerians of its commitment and resoluteness to conduct free, fair and credible elections. The Commission will not hesitate to institute legal action, where necessary, to protect its members from malicious and libelous allegations.’’

People can use cameras, smart phones during the polls –

To show that the commission has nothing to hide and wants to conduct transparent polls, the  Lagos Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Mr Akin Orebiyi, yesterday, said that the electorate could use camera  and other devices which have camera  to capture the voting process during the elections tomorrow.

“The world is now a global village so pictures are allowed to be taken at the polling booths. An  electorate can come with his camera phone and take pictures of the voting process. The whole world is monitoring us and we will not be left behind as people hiding information,’’ he said.

Orebiyi also urged the electorate not to be afraid of the use of the smart card readers because the commission has put everything in place towards a successful conduct of the general election.

Speaking at a briefing on the state of preparedness of the Police  and other security agencies towards a successful and violent free 2015 general elections at Ikeja, Orebiyi said that the commission has made adequate arrangements for seamless balloting in the 205 polling units across the riverine areas of Lagos.

According to him, the commission has several life jackets, speed boats, large commercial boats and canoes for the polls.

“I was also in Ondo some years ago to conduct election and there were 271 polling units in the riverine areas and we had a very successful election. So I do not see Lagos with  205 polling units across the riverine areas and islands to be a problem.

“INEC is committed to ensuring a free and fair election and we do not intend to disenfranchise anybody or stop people from voting. In ensuring a credible election, we introduced two things which are the Permanent Voters Card (PVCs) and the smart card readers, which will help the commission to authenticate genuine and fake PVCs.’’

VIDEO: Dammy Krane – “Faleela”

Hypertek Digital/960 Music is proud to present the official video to Dammy Krane’s ‘Faleela’, off his debut album, ‘The Enterkraner’.

Faleela, which has quickly become one of the fans’ favourite after Dammy Krane’s Amin which has received immense international and local reviews being called of the greatest inspirational songs of our time, now has its much anticipated video out. Faleela is a mid-tempoed love song that talks about a story of two lovers who have been together from a tender age and are now ready to tie the knot.

The video was shot by the award-winning music video director, Clarence Peters at a location in Lagos. With guest appearances from the legendary Yoruba movie actress, Idowu Phillips popularly called Iya Rainbow and very vibrant female rapper, Mz Kiss, this is most definitely a must-watch video as the love storyline and the comic nature of the plot will definitely keep you thrilled

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VIDEO PREMIERE: Yemi Alade – “Temperature” ft. DiL

Hit Alert!!! Effyzzie Music Group presents the music video for “Temperature” which serves as the fifth single off Yemi Alade‘s critical and commercial successful debut album “King Of Queens”.

The viral love preaching number features the track’s producer, R&B singer DiL. The visuals was shot in London and was directed by Ovie Etseyatse and co-directed by Taiye Aliyu.

Yemi Alade decided to release the music video on the 13th of March to celebrate her birthday and launched a singing contest on Instagram where fans get to win an iPhone 6 and go on a dinner with the diva.

Watch, download, share and enjoy.

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Caught On Camera: Daytime Horror In Lagos As Robbers Invade Lekki Bank, kill Three Policemen, Girl

Three policemen and a fish seller were killed on Thursday by a gang of robbers who stormed the First City Monument Bank on Admiralty Way in Lekki, Lagos State.

It was learnt that the robbers, numbering 13 arrived the bank wearing military uniform and shooting sporadically for about 30 minutes.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the robbers, who were armed with   Ak-47 guns   gained entrance into the bank after overpowering the security men.

One of the witnesses claimed that before entering the bank, the gunmen shot at a police van stationed close to the bank.

The policemen, according to him,   engaged them in a crossfire and in the process three of them( policemen) died. A fish seller was said to have been killed by a stray bullet in the incident which happened around 5pm.

PUNCH Metro gathered that several other persons also sustained gunshot injuries.

But another witness claimed that the policemen were escorting an oil service company staff bus when they ran into the bandits.

He said, “The policemen were in a patrol van escorting a bus belonging to an oil company when the armed robbers sighted and shot them dead.”

One of the eyewitnesses, Kola Alade, who abandoned his car and fled the scene, said other policemen in the van fled.

He said, “They were shooting non-stop for about 30 minutes, I saw a policeman and two others persons on the floor with blood gushing out of them. Some policemen tried to engage them, but the robbers were very brutal. They eventually robbed the bank.”

Another eyewitness said he saw seven members of the gang wearing life jackets.

He said, “It was like we were in battlefield. I was shaking where I hid. They escaped in a speed boat .”

A worker of the bank, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to do so , described the attack as unfortunate.

He, however, said he could not ascertain whether the robbers were able to cart some money away .

He said, “I do not have the details of the incident now. I was not even around when it happened. It was very unfortunate. I do not know whether they stole money or not. The head of Corporate Affairs Department of the bank is not in the country now to comment on it.”

The FCMB spokesperson, Louis Ibe, could not be reached for comment.

But the Lagos State Police spokesperson, Kenneth Nwosu, confirmed that three policemen were shot dead while trying to contain the robbers.

He said, “Three policemen who stood gallantly defending the facility were killed in the process. Investigation has already commenced and we have launched a serious manhunt on the robbers. We will ensure that we trace their hideout and track them down.”

Some readers, who commented on Lindaikejiblog, narrated their experiences of the robbery.

One anonymous wrote, “Just passed through that way…Gosh…C dem washing blood off d road….pple in tears….May God accept their souls

Another   reader wrote, “I was there and I saw the Nigerian police armed, but always siting like they are on holiday. Nigerian police please wake up and always be on the alert. Stop chasing okada riders and danfo drivers . Be alert, robbers are always around . Now, you all have left your loved ones because you didn’t act gallant. RIP.

On Nairaland.com, a member, Shamah wrote, “Exactly around 4.52pm today (Thursday), I heard gunshots along Admiralty Way, Lekki phase 1, Lagos, as suspected armed robbers attacked one of the banks along the street.

“Everyone around had to run for their lives as no one knows where the bullets will land. Even the Lekki-Ikoyi Toll gate was on a stop.

“Watching from my rooftop, I saw people coming out of their vehicles by the toll gate and running for their lives. The shooting lasted for more than 20mins. All I hear now is police sirens everywhere around.”

What I discussed with Jonathan, Buhari —Mbeki

Winner of Obafemi Awolowo Leadership Award, former South African president, Thabo Mbeki, has given an insight into his separate private meetings with President Goodluck Jonathan and his main challenger in the March 28 presidential election, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari.

Speaking exclusively with the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday night, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, moments before his departure to Johannesburg, South-Africa, Mbeki disclosed that the forthcoming elections were discussed with the two leading candidates, with emphasis on the need for the process to be devoid of crisis.

He noted that he was particularly gratified that both candidates gave firm commitment to accepting the results of the elections, particularly the presidential poll.

When asked if a direct commitment was given on the outcome of the election, he said “absolutely.”

He also met with the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu same Tuesday evening, before he left for the airport.

Mbeki also mentioned the anxiety created by Nigerian media reporting of the pre-election process, which he said necessitated his decision to meet the leaders involved in the electoral process.

According to him, “when I followed the Nigerian press from outside the country; reading on the internet, one gets worrying feeling that things could go wrong and that is why it was important for me to talk to the actual leaders and not just read what is in the media. At least now, I am really, really reassured.”

The former South African president, who is now a celebrated political mediator in the African continent, also stated that during his parley with the political leaders, the need for peace, before, during and after the elections was emphasised, adding that all parties were made to realise that in every election, there must be a winner and a loser.

He added that both Jonathan and Buhari agreed that the loser of the election must accept the outcome.

Mbeki equally said he never met with Chief Obafemi Awolowo in his lifetime, but that his emancipation exploits were well-known to them in South Africa, saying the sage was not just a Nigerian leader, but a leader of Africa.

Our President is certainly not a liar – Fani- Kayode

PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO yesterday asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to tell Nigerians whether or not its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari was considering the request of some foreign nations to scrap our anti-gay laws and allow same-sex marriage designed to secure their support.

According to PDP, giving this information to Nigerians was more important than issues that have been raised as a consequence of Morocco’s withdrawal of their Ambassador from Nigeria.

In a statement yesterday by the Director, Media and Publicity of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode, the PDP said, “Our attention has been drawn to the unpatriotic stance of the APC on the issues that have been raised as a consequence of Morocco’s withdrawal of their Ambassador from Nigeria.

“It is very unfortunate that rather than join hands with the Federal Government and endeavor to stand shoulder to shoulder with their compatriots and their country when it comes to the conduct of international affairs, the APC are always ready to assume the worst about their government and about their President.

“Our counsel to them is to grow up, get real and stop playing politics with such sensitive matters that border on the interest and credibility of our nation and our people. If they want a clarification about the Moroccan affair, they ought to go through the appropriate channels and perhaps attempt to reach our Foreign Minister in order to find out what really happened.

“That is the proper and responsible thing to do. They do not need to make a song and dance about the whole thing and they certainly should not try to gain political mileage out of it or join forces with those from outside our shores that do not wish Nigeria or the Nigerian people well.

“We are fully aware of their obvious and pronounced intellectual limitations when it comes to such matters; yet, regardless of that, they must always endeavor to remember that we are, first and foremost, Nigerians and regardless of whichever side of the political divide we find ourselves or whichever political party we belong to, we must always seek to protect our nation’s interest before anything else.

“For the APC to even begin to assume that it is true that our President or any of our government officials lied in this episode with the King of Morocco and for them to so readily accept the suggestion that we have done anything wrong or that we have somehow misled our people about what actually transpired speaks volumes.

“Our President is certainly not a liar. The only liars here are the APC and their perfidious and conflicted spokesman, Lai Mohammed. Our President and our government have done Nigeria proud when it comes to the conduct of foreign affairs over the last few years and when it comes to building bridges with other nations. This is particularly so when it comes to our relationship with other African countries.

“Our military collaboration with the nations of Chad, Niger and the Cameroons in the fight against Boko Haram and the great successes that we are jointly recording in that bitter fight is a glaring testimony to that.

“Any Nigerian or any Nigerian political party that joins hands with foreigners to denigrate our nation, to belittle our foreign policy, to undermine our credibility in the comity of nations or to work against our country’s vital core interests by assuming the worst about the conduct of our foreign affairs is simply a traitor and is not worthy of being called a Nigerian.

“Once again, the APC has shown, by their plea for a clarification on this matter, that they are a party that simply cannot possibly comprehend or grasp the complexities of national leadership or the conduct of foreign affairs.

“They have proved that they will always put their own personal and narrow party interests before the interests of our people and our nation. The basic lesson that they need to learn is this: in a time of war, you do not join hands with foreign governments or foreign kings to undermine the interest of your nation or to denigrate your President.

“Instead of talking about the King of Morocco and who spoke to who, the APC should tell us whether it is true that their presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, in response to a request from some western countries, is considering scrapping the anti-gay laws in our country and pushing through legislation that would allow same sex marriage.

“We are far more interested in that than in the King of Morocco because if it is true that that is what they are planning, it would be a reflection of their moral depravity as a party and it would be a negation of our values as a God-fearing nation.”

I didn’t collapse, says Alao-Akala

A former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, has dismissed rumours that he collapsed at the venue of the Labour Party National Executive Committee meeting in Ibadan on Wednesday.

Alao-Akala, in a statement by his media aide, Oludare Ogunlana, on Thursday, described the rumour as the handiwork of “detractors who were not comfortable his popularity.”

The statement also said that the Alao-Akala Campaign Organisation had succeeded in tracing the true owners of the website which published the report.

It read, “Based on a false report which emerged online that Alao-Akala had collapsed at the venue of the LP National Executive Committee meeting in Ibadan on Wednesday and was rushed to the hospital, we blame the opposition parties for the publication.

“It is not true that Alao-Akala is battling any form of ailment or that he collapsed at the meeting as reported by an online publication outfit. We challenge the publisher of the news medium to come out openly if the news was true. Why didn’t other journalists who were at the venue get the news?

“The Nigerian Guild of Editors should look into the issue of unregistered news media that spread lies in order to please certain political parties for pecuniary interest.”

Ogunlana also called on the people of the state not to be swayed by the antics of those who were against the aspiration of the former governor, saying that Alao-Akala’s government could not be compared with those that succeeded it.

What I Actually Want From Davido—Maheeda

Popular singer, Maheeda, who got huge fame via her series of controversial photos, has never hidden her intention to be on the bed with music sensation, Davido, saying a music collaboration between her and the music star will not be possible.

Maheeda said even if the ‘Omo Baba Olowo’ crooner requests for a music duet with her, she will reject it, but instead, take him to the bed for a ‘super bout’.

She made these comments when a fan asked her of any possibility of doing a song with the music star.

“I want you to do a collabo with Davido. I think his gona accept”, the fan tweeted at her, but she responded, “Not ready for that! Still gat n@des to post.”

In 2014, Maheeda requested to star in a s@xtape with Davido, but the singer is yet to answer her.

VIDEO: Kiss Daniel “Woju” (Remix) ft. Davido & Tiwa Savage

G-Worldwide Entertainment premieres the music video of Kiss Daniel’s “Woju”remix which features Tiwa Savage and Davido.

The visual is directed by Adasa Cookey and it’s quite thrilling.

Enjoy!

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VIDEO: Don Jazzy , D’banj & Wande Coal Perform “Pere” LEAK: Yung6ix – “Grind Don’t Stop” ft. Charass

TX fans, feel free to update your playlist with this collaborative track from rap titan Yung6ix featuring high-life prince Charass titled “Grind Don’t Stop” we decided to leak.

In other Yung6ix related news, the music video for his single “Doinz”is expected to hit screens in days.
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VIDEO: Asa – “Eyo (Acoustic Version)”

Mugeez (R2Bees) – “When The Rain A Fall” (Naughty Girl Riddim)

One half of R2Bees  group Mugeez is out with a brand new single “When The Rain A Fall” (Naughty Girl Riddim).  Check the song out and share your thoughts.

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Learning From Yesterday By Wole Soyinka

The Nigerian variation on any universal practice is guaranteed to develop a character of its own, quite unique, but of course uniqueness is not always a virtue, and some forms of originality actually set one’s teeth on edge. So let me warn from the onset that I shall not follow the formula that is fast gaining ground among reviewers, such as:

“The book consists of three hundred and fifty-seven pages. The three hundred and fifty-seven pages are split up into fourteen chapters, not counting the   Introduction and Preface, which coinsist altogether of another eleven pages, in Roman numeration. Acknowledgements cover one and a half pages. Then we come to the book proper, which is divided into five sections. There are seventeen photographic plates…some in colour, some in black and white. The hard cover          weighs 27 pounds eight ounces and measures…..

I exaggerate of course, but not by much. Even serious academics have succumbed to such arithmetical preambles.

All right, it’s time I got down to my own – well, not so much a review as occasioned commentary – by admitting what a relief it is to be able to interact in the public arena – even for a few minutes – where one is not bombarded with the babel from electoral Bedlam. I suspect that this was why the author pushed so hard to ensure that the presentations took place during the doldrums of the election postponement, an intellectual deed of kindness to a stressed public which, as already admitted in my case, is in dire need of a few moments of some sanity in discourse. Perhaps this is why I also allowed myself to be inveigled into this event, and even play a role in the turning of yet another page in the overall enterprise of the recovery and preservation of a people’s past. One may be forgiven for feeling, during the past few months, that the entire nation has been thrown into a holding pound for man-eating dogs. The analogy is not mine, I’ve merely appropriated and extended it from one of the most hysterical of the ongoing political campaigners who was once on the other side of the fence. He used that very metaphor while serving his former master. “I am his guard dog”, he boasted, “to get at my boss, you will have to step over me.”

All of us here have passed through the electoral furnace before now, if only as mere spectators. We are all affected one way or the other by the exercise, and I suspect we would mostly agree that never before have we been subjected to this level of sheer venom, crudity and vulgar abuse of language in such prodigal quantities as in this current political exercise. The very gift of communication, considered the distinguishing mark of cultured humanity even in polemical situations, has been debased, affecting even thought processes, I often suspect. Speaking as objectively as is possible in such circumstances, I would say that, among the various camps of the gladiators, the most reckless and indecorous has sadly proved the incumbency camp.  There, restraint has been thrown to the wind with such abandon that even a highly privileged Spouse has publicly urged supporters to stone any voices raised in opposition to her cause. As for the afore-mentioned rotweiller, all those who have watched him in action or read his media tracts will agree that – fail or succeed in his mission –  he has created a national precedent. Augmented by the omnipotency of a sitting governor, now himself definitively exposed as a product of a conspiratorial and criminal electoral malpractice, and one who confers a death-wish certificate on a prominent opponent, the arena of public contest appears to have fallen to the domination of newbreed undertakers of the democratic norm, taken us to a hitherto imaginable low in the art of public persuasion which – we have a right to imagine – forms the foundation of political life. Such passionate partisans and/or cynical mercenaries may be unschooled in the  art of rhetoric, they most certainly have excelled in the art of demagoguery, and earned themselves  a place in political history.

The target of history brings one round to why we are gathered here today – history and the roles of individuals in the making thereof.  Making history one way or the other is perhaps a sub-conscious craving of social man, winning the accolade of one’s peers and even hopefully affecting posterity.  The real issue therefore is through what means one actually ends up making history, and to what end? Serial killers make history, as does prowess in the athletic field. Nation builders, liberation  fighters and transformative leaders stand the greatest chance, for the obvious reason that history is about society fn formulation, and nothing excites the human imagination and ambitions as does the very process of the coming-in-being of any social entity.  Perhaps the most memorable personae in this work for instance, are two pivotal figures in the Nigerian nationalist struggle, a convergence of two contrasting personalities and ideological tendencies, and who emerge as crucial protagonists and luminaries of this history in the making. It is difficult to think of either without invoking possibilities of what other directions a colonial Nigeria – whose roots like deep in the phenomenon of Lagos – could have taken without the activities of one or both. I refer here to the flamboyant and tempestuous Herbert Macaulay, and the more reserved, erudite and conservative Henry Carr – rivals, yet unwitting collaborators.

They are not alone. It is thanks to the diligence of our chronicler that we are enabled to weed out the pretenders to history in our own time and evaluate the contributions of genuine leaders to the conscious formulation of both our collective and individual identities – from ethnic to the “national”. Historians narrate the trajectories of such historic personalities and try to make sense of even their contradictory passages through the inchoate rudiments of society in a particular epoch. They plunge into the dark passages of power – real and incipient –  course through its interstices, track its warps, highlight defining moments and even exhume trivia that go to enlighten us about a close or distant era. Some think history is mere linear narrative but no, it is a creative task. By that I do not mean that the historian invents events and even dramatis personae, but that he or she arranges the material of actualities to present a coherent canvas for us to contemplate. The central plinth, mostly abstract, around which events are organized, may not even be overtly stated but, constantly, the historian attempts  – let me put it in plain language – tries to make sense of disparate material, almost like puzzling out a jig-saw puzzle, fitting the pieces in, one at a time, for future readers and, in some cases, actually revealing lessons that not only instruct the present but offer a glimpse of the future.

Why it is necessary to reiterate the obvious? Simply because, in their anxiety to be seen to have made history, some actually equate the industry of Memoirs with both the writing and – by implication – the making of history.  Nothing could be further than the truth.

Without actually setting out to do so, History nudges us to make comparisons between past and present, to ask questions such as, ‘have we been here before?’ Is the nature of humanity – or perhaps simply Nigerian humanity – static?  Even recidivist? Patrick Cole sets out to narrate a corner of the Nigerian nation space known as Lagos at a critical period when that trading entrepot – call it a micro-state – is just emerging into what we refer to as a modern state – or part of it.  We are escorted into the arena of the contest, not only for power but for status within the emerging entity. The wiles, conspiracies, intrigues, shifting allegiances – including, in this instance, even collaboration with external power of subjugation that should be a constant focus of resistance – in this case the colonial presence – these constitute the immediate material for some comparative thinking – for those who are enmeshed one way or the other by the varied impactions on day-to-day existence at politicking time – such as we find ourselves at this very moment. It is inevitable that one is moved to ask the question: has anything really changed?

Consider the following model of brutality:  a partisan in the assertion of status and power, visits the grave of the grandmother of a rival, exhumes her bones and scatters them to the four winds. In retaliation, that injured party bides his time, captures the offender, pushes him into a barrel, douses him in flammables, sets the barrel on fire and rolls it into the lagoon. Then fast forward to upwards of a century and a half later,  and consider the spate of kidnappings, assassinations, sniper action at political rallies, fire-bombing of rival political offices, and other forms of sponsored mayhem – even the kidnapping of relations in order to force a rival to abandon his or her quest for political office. Or the violence that became known as the wetie uprising in the Western region of Nigeria in the mid-sixties, where, together with a can or two of kerosene, a matchbox  substituted for the ballot box . Admittedly – in this specific exchange of violent political visiting cards of this slice of Patrick Cole’s history, that bit of mayhem stemmed from connubial issues, but it did take place in the context of the exercise of power in traditional political conflicts, and introduces us to the volatile conflation of power and status within one setting.

Yes, status and – Power! These are the largely unstated objectives of most political intensities. I felt personally gratified that Dele Cole highlights the operations of both in the transformative phase of a society like Lagos under colonial power. It enables our apprehension of the role of the elite, traditional and evolving, in social formulation. Cole pursues a theme that comes close to my own personal obsession – though usually couched differently, as – Power and Authority.  As concept and reality – the operations  of both, mostly in a conflicting mode, remains prime candidate as  the driving force that often determines the course of society. This thread runs through the entire work and can even be considered the leit-motif around which an era is delineated. The evocation of that non-identical twin should always be called to mind in the study of, participation in, or mere observation stance in political affairs. Obviously some of our author’s  “rival” historians are conscious of the distinction, otherwise – why would a veteran politician announce to the world that he is stepping aside from politics to become a statesman – both internally and externally, he took pains to stress. The implication is clearly that of an advancement in social status after power. After power, what else but authority? But what exactly is this object of desire, this nebulous acquisition called Authority that transcends power?  Is it something for which you sit an exam? The flawed notion is that – while anyone can be a politician, there is a special examination which you must sit – perhaps at Bells University – after which you get your Ph.D in statesmanship. But authority can even be discerned in children’s micro-groupings, and in the animal kingdom, there it has nothing to do with apprenticeship in power.  Someone is clearly confusing statesmanship with status worship, – and while I must laud our present author for ensuring that we do not miss the distinction, he must also take the blame for its confusion – specifically in regard to the recent 3-part tome that was launched not so long ago in this same Lagos, followed by Nairobi, then the city of London.

“A little learning is a dangerous thing” warned Alexander Pope, centuries ago. Patrick Cole used to be Special Adviser to his rival author when the latter was in office both at his first and second coming. Clearly, something must have rubbed off on his informal pupil, now rival, though, alas, not deep enough. You don’t wake up one morning and say, from now on, I am a statesman, any more than you become a historian because you’ve produced three tomes of doctored and self-serving narratives, self-published, and can afford to launch it from Ukraine to Papua New Guinea.

Do I appear to digress? Not in the least. Dele Cole’s book invites – indeed compels – comparisons, including comparisons with other volumes – such as Echeruo’s – on the fascinating and inexhaustible subject of Lagos. The more recent magnum opushowever, lays claim to first refusal, since it  remains the freshest in memory. It provides an opportunity to instruct ourselves about how history often comes down to us, and the choices we make between letting history serve humanity – that is, through knowledge and scholarly engagement on the path to enlightenment on the one hand, and, on the other, through a compulsion to parade oneself, not merely as a maker of history but as History itself.

So, Patrick, I’m afraid we must send your pupil back to you for a refresher course. It is never too late to learn. It is true, I concede, that in the case of the work being launched today – as with Echeruo’s – we are dealing with comparatively distant material. Most of the characters in the making of this history are dead. However, the structures they built are still with us – in this case, a structure known as Lagos. Pursuant generations have renovated, degraded, polluted, enhanced…..even reduced to rubble substantial chunks of its social edifices. Yet even the rubble remains primary material of history. Tracing the survival of such structures, their perversion and or purification, and as truthfully as one can, is the real excitation of immersion in history.  If, as happened a few decades ago, the heirs to modern governance set a seeming precedent by reducing an oba’s stipend to one penny per annum, historic recall enables us to recollect that such precedents had been set by the colonial powers. We then proceed to determine whether they merit preservation and/or  emulation or rejection.             We do not stop there however, we are instructed in how the people responded from their own traditional ethos. In this case, they rallied around the victim of colonial pauperization tactics used against a symbol of traditional authority – they set us a Rescue committee, levied themselves and replaced the colonial stipend with an amount that even exceeded his former earning – and this was kept up for eleven years, the entire period of the Oba Eshugbayi’s unjust exile and humiliation – until he returned to Iga in triumph. Awareness of such precedent conduct and its neutralization may even have served as a restraint on the Western Region government which perpetuated this imperial conduct, it could have served as a check on the arrogance of power, the thought of – oh, we are behaving as the very political oppressors against whom we collectively fought to liberate ourselves? We are becoming the very thing we repudiated.

The chapters dedicated to that entire Eleko affair, where the same Oba, intensely loathed by the colonial governor, was deposed and exiled indeed reads like a recurring decimal of déjà vu in our experience of judicial perfidy. The time-line in the supposedly legal recourse to regain his throne, a struggle that was spear-headed by Herbert Macaulay, also the bête noire of that same governor was a masterpiece in judicial complicity, hardly the loftiest moments in the operations of the British much touted system of justice. The juridical dodges that followed the historic recourse to a writ of Habeas Corpus on behalf of the king remains a study in judicial rigmarole that even the Privy Council saw through, resulting in the Council sending back the case to the very courts that had declared that they lacked jurisdiction to try the case. Does that sound a familiar note? The lack of jurisdiction! Go down memory lane in whichever part of the nation, under post-independence governments both at the state and national levels, and see how history repeats itself!  Executive disrespect towards, and the consequent trashing of the basis of civilized co-existence which spells:  Justice as the bastion of the weak against inordinate power. Lagos, as always, as prime player in our own time, before our very eyes, offers herself as a presidential victim of disdain by Patrick Cole’s rival historian, as  as that state was deprived of its statutory allocation in defiance of judicial orders. This is what Patrick Cole’s narrative serves to elicit as the bequest of any past to this present of here and now, as succinctly captured quite early in his treatise. I quote:

All public officers also have considerable leeway in how they interpret their mandate whether such mandate originates from an electorate or from Ifa, as was          the case in Lagos. But public officers are also subject to restrictions; the interplay     between those who try to hold public officers within those restrictions and those who interpret their mandates in such a way as to circumvent restrictions form a             crucial element in political activity. Restrictions and the degree of leeway are             important indices in any typology of societies.

End of quote.  And I would  add: and constitutes a propulsive factor in the inevitability of tension in the history of such social typologies – traditional, modern, or transitional.

That, in sum, is the testimonial extract from this work, for which the factual, informative unraveling of history serves as the human backdrop, a riveting reading,  an endless source material for on-stage drama. The ghosts hover, even though the actors in this larger-than life narrative have made their exit, but their lineages and vestiges survive, making histories that either redound to the glory of their departed forebears or echo the same errors, exhibit the same human failings and catastrophic interventions in public life – heroes, villains, collaborationists and confrontationists alike – and this includes even the street names and institutions that have been preserved through time, including titles  – Ajasa, Idejo, Lugard, Clifford, Baddeley, Eshugbayi, Obanikoro, Alakija, Macaulay, Henry Carr,  Ajayi Crowther, Willoughby, Cameron, Dosunmu, Akintoye, Ojora, Erelu, White Cap Chiefs, Eyo, Randle, Carter…..after reading a work of this richness and socio-political dimension, one cannot again traverse Carter Bridge, enter Blaize Memorial Hall, wander by accident into Ajasa street or visit the Henry Carr collection in the University of Ibadan library without engaging in an unconscious dialogue with the past, however fleeting.

That is why those who seek their own place in history owe a debt to posterity by rendering proper dues to both past and present, a debt that can only be serviced by a strict adherence to Historic Truth. There is always the next generation after the Patrick Coles, the Echeruo, the Jacob Ajayi and others waiting in the wings to set down the material of this era.  History – as even dabblers know – is authenticated by reliance on primary sources. Future historians therefore deserve better than to spend their time being misled by outright lies and other forms of perversions of truth, especially where reinforced by self-conscious, self-conferred status.

Imagine – and I choose this illustrative episode deliberately, as a teacher who has also supervised theses – imagine a history student confronted by an “authoritative” claim that an incumbent Head of State has trained a thousand – repeat, a thousandsnipers to take out a thousand – repeat yet again – athousand political enemies? Is that possible? Is it true? If false, is such alarmist conduct befitting from the pen of an ex-ruler. Even when we fought the dictatorship of Sanni Abacha, we were careful not to tell any lie, lest it explode in our faces. Our modest but effective Intelligence unit identified a killer squad, right down to the Abuja hotel where they were lodged in-between operations. Abacha and his hit-man al-Mustapha could never be credited at any time with anything near a hundred, more likely close than twenty-five or less in that so-named Special Task Force of trained killers. We refrained from exaggerating the number, as we did not wish to become a laughing stock in international caucuses – including the US State department – to which we reported the sinister collection, even as we sought their help in neutralizing the nest.

And now, the question:  who was it that absorbed some of them back into the military establishment?  Yes, who? And for what purpose? Any relation to the unprecedented  spate of high profile political killings that the nation underwent under the egotistical Watch of our tireless memorialist?  Desperate as we were, we dealt in verifiable facts.  There is always more than sufficient negative material to hang around the neck of any figure who has exercised power and responsibility, without concocting the fable of a thousand snipers for a thousand enemies – sounds very much like the title of that now dated musical –Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Does such a claim even appreciate what it takes to train a sniper? Such narrative insults the intelligence of the citizens over whose fortunes a chronic fabulist has presided. The path to recognition as a statesman is not through such egregious fabrications, and are no different from the noisome cascades currently issuing from the Tower of Babel in Aso Rock.  Future narrators of, and moulders of history, deserve better than opportunistic lies of climbers on the wagon of public discontent. They contaminate and degrade a cause, compromise the truly dedicated agents of Change.  A craving for social transformation should never be compromised by lies. But enough said – for now. There will be other occasions for serial dissections on the output of pretenders to the desk of the historian, and even as would-be Embodiments of History.

A bit of quick carping:  the habit of pluralizing indigenous names as if they were English deserves to be stopped dead in its tracks. It is wrong to write “Ekiti Parapos”. Plural of Ekiti Parapo is exactly that:  Ekiti Parapo. The same goes for the “Ibadans”, the “Egbas” etc. etc. No “s”, if you don’t mind. I have had cause to educate foreign media – including The New York Times – on that score. Next, and even more serious, I hereby serve notice on Dr. Patrick Dele Cole that he should wean himself of the missionary habit of denigrating traditional religions by the pejorative word, ‘pagan’. Any more of that condescending stuff and I shall invoke Ogun, Sango and other Yoruba deities to pay you a re-educational visit and then you’ll see whether your Christian eponymous patron saint, Saint Patrick, can save you from their corrective cane for your profanity.

Yakubu Aiyegbeni Named the Richest Nigerian Player

Former Super Eagles striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Kalu Uche have emerged as the highest paid Nigerian football players in the recently compiled report of Nigerian footballers’ earners list . The new report, according to SuperSport, has it that the former Super Eagles striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Reading FC of England striker, Kalu Uche who were formerly players in the oil rich Quatari club Al Rayyan earn over $2.5 million each year.

Next in the list comes the Chelsea FC midfielder Mikel Obi and Sounder Seattle striker, Obafemi Martins who are earning $2 million per year. Emmanuel Emenike, the Fenerbahce striker is the fifth on the list considering his contract terms of ‘tax free’ at the Turkish club. Brown Ideye who is the West Bromich Albion of England striker, who also recently signed a three-year contract with the English Premier League club is the sixth on the list. But there is no Nigerian player that made it to the yearly rich list , which other African players like Samuel Eto’o and Yaya Toure were included.

Ice Prince Launches Self-Owned Record Label – Super Cool Cats

Just like his mentor, M.I. Abaga who is signed to Chocolate City and also label owner for Loopy Musik, rap entertainer Panshak Zamani aka Ice Prince has unveiled his self-owned record label with an official announcement scheduled for a later date.

The label, Super Cool Cats has always been Ice’s dream and has now materialized into fruition. Speaking with MTV UK last year, the rapper said…

“There’s Super Cool Cats music, my new outfit, and I have a few artists that I want to introduce to the world. There’s a girl called Ruth and a guy called Stunt. They’re all super cool cats. And there are a lot of producers in that outfit as well.”

Shatta Wale – “Chop Something

Ghanaian music sensation and prominent artiste, Shatta Waledrops a spanking new single sampled on instrumentals from the dance hall genre. He calls this one, “Chop Somethingdownload

Olamide – “Confam Ni” ft. Wizkid (Prod by Young John)

Four years after the mega collaboration “Omo Toh Shan”,Olamide teams up with Wizkid once again and the end product is “Confam Ni”.

The track which is produced by Young John serves as the first 2015 single from the YBNL front-man after releasing his fourth studio album “Street OT” last year.

What are you waiting for? Consume the hot track and drop your comments!
download

OFFICIAL VIDEO: Selebobo – Gon Gon

Made Men Music Group present the brand new hot video “GON GON” by SELEBOBO!

Written and produced by the super multi talented Selebobo himself, shot and directed by fast rising director Teekay in London.

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Check out Tonto Dikeh’s sexy beach look

Tonto Dikeh hit the beach with stylist,Jeremiah Ogbodo…you like her new look? More photos after the cut…

Maheeda Afraid Men May ‘Devour’ Daughter

Controversial Nigerian gospel singer, Maheeda, needs no introduction because despite not having hit tracks to show for, she has been able to register her brand on the minds of the people. She has been able to do this via some compromising photographs she has put online.

The singer, who is based in Holland with her husband, recently released pictures of her 14 year old daughter, noting that whenever she looks at the young lady, she feels like an old woman.

She has now expressed her fears over the consequence of her action, stating that her daughter may be poached by desperate men.

“Daughter of life! She makes me feel like not to put my pictures up sometimes but hers. But all these hungry guys,” she said.

PDP will win elections in Lagos – Akpabio

Lagos – The PDP Governors Forum on Monday said that the party would win elections in all the states in the south of the country including Lagos.

The Chairman of the Forum and Gov of Akwa Ibom, Chief Gooodswill Akpabio said this at a meeting of the dorum in Lagos.

Speaking to newsmen before the commencement of the meeting Akpabio said that the PDP would win on first ballot because it was a national party.

“Forget the propaganda you see. We are on ground and we believe PDP will win.

“PDP is the party to beat. We are not panicking because we have presence across 120, 000 polling units across the nation.

“We are in Lagos because Lagos is a strategic place. we have to re-strategise to ensure free, fair and credible elections.

“We came to brainstorm on how to win the election” he said.

He re-assured Nigerians that the party would ensure that the elections were credible.

“We intend to discuss everything concerning the election. We have a responsibility to ensure the stability of Nigeria and Nigerians because we are the party in power.

“PDP is not callous to create problems in Nigeria” Akpabio said.

Also Speaking, Gov Jonah Jang of Plateau called on INEC to be sure of the effectiveness of the card reader before using it.

“INEC said they could not use the card reader in the Osun election because it was sensitive but between the national election and Osun election, which is more sensitive” he queried.

Also at the meeting were Govs Liyel Imoke of Cross River, Seriki Dickson of Bayelsa, Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo.

Others are, Govs Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti, Ibrahim Dankwabo of Gombe, Mukhtar Yero of Kaduna and PDP governorship candidate for Lagos State, Mr Jimi Agbaje.

You’ll never be Awolowo, Bode George tells Tinubu

A Peoples Democratic Party leader in Lagos State, Chief Bode George, says a former Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, will never be like the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, no matter how hard he tries.

Tinubu, who is a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, is said to be largely responsible for the successful merger of the APC due to his influence across the South-West and parts of the South-South.

However, George, while addressing journalists during a meeting with beneficiaries of a scheme by the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, said Awolowo, during his time, ensured free education across the Western region when he was the premier.

He, however, said that Tinubu had failed to impact positively on the lives of people but was only interested in enriching himself.

He said Tinubu started off by wearing Awolowo’s kind of cap and then wearing round glasses like Awolowo to deceive the people but his deeds were nothing compared to the late sage.

He added, “People like papa Lateef Jakande, General Mobolaji Johnson would be spinning wherever they are. Tinubu said he did a one-million-man march but that it is a joke.

“For 16 years they (APC) took us to a bridge that led us nowhere and now we are looking for the road to freedom because they have taken us to a point that future generations will not forgive them for.

“Papa Awolowo did so much for the Western region and the nation’s education and that is why every March 6, we remember him. The hood does not make a monk. He (Tinubu) started wearing round glasses, wearing papa’s caps and raising two fingers but he has forgotten the two fingers now.”

George said it was hypocritical of Tinubu to sue the African Independent Television over a documentary the station aired against him.

George, however, urged the judiciary to be fair in handling the case as he had once been a victim of a wrong conviction.

The PDP leader urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that card readers were functional before the March 28 presidential election.

He said if the machines malfunctioned, it could lead to electoral violence

George added, “It is brilliant to use the card reader but has it been tested? The trial was just done on March 7 and we were to hold election on February 14. So, if we did not cry out, we would have gone to election like that?

“We don’t want violence but violence begets violence. If you put in place all the apparatus and everything needed, there will be no violence but if people get there that day and they cannot vote, people will grab the INEC persons there and beat them up. This election is very strategic and will determine the future of this country.

“These elections are too strategic and we cannot afford any experimentation.”

Actress Ebube Nwagbo Posses With Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas

Popular Nollywood actress, Ebube Nwagbo shared this lovely pics of herself and two top football stars, Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas.

She captioned the pics “Don’t be Jealous….hehehehehe…With D World;s Greatest @leomessi”

Uche Jumbo shares her views on whether marriage makes a woman…defends Genevieve .

Moments after Genevieve Nnaji last night unveiled her AMVCA look and slayed the eyes of all, some trolls took to twitter to question her marital status. A vexed Uche Jumbo responded to it on Twitter…see her tweets below…

Messi 32nd hat trick, passing Zarra to become the all-time leader in trifectas

The goal gives #Messi his 32nd hat trick, passing Zarra to become the all-time leader in trifectas. #FCBlive

Lionel Messi scored three times Sunday, getting the 24th hat trick of his legendary career as Barcelona beat Rayo Vallecano 6-1 and moved one point ahead ahead of Real Madrid in the La Liga standings. The hat trick breaks La Liga and Barcelona records, moving Messi past Cristiano Ronaldo.

ALL-TIME HAT TRICK RECORD FOR SPANISH CLUB. No other Spanish club player ever made 32 hat tricks. Messi now has 24 in league games, five in the Champions League, two in the Spanish Cup and one in the Spanish Supercup. He leaves Telmo Zarra (31), Alfredo Di Stéfano (28) and Cristiano Ronaldo (27) behind him.

ALL-TIME HAT TRICK RECORD IN LEAGUE GAMES. Messi’s 24 in La Liga pass Ronaldo’s 23. Di Stéfano and Zarra – each with 22 – and Mundo, with 19, are way back.

LEAGUE SCORING LEADER FOR 2014/15 SEASON. Leo’s trifecta versus Rayo give him 30 league goals this season, and tie him with Ronaldo, who had led all season until today.

SIXTH STRAIGHT SEASON WITH OVER 40 GOALS. It’s an incredible streak. Messi now has 41 goals in 38 games, the same number he had all of last season in 46 games.

NEWS IN PICTURES: President Jonathan visits the Ooni of Ife’s palace

President Jonathan, in company of the Governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro and other PDP chieftains stormed the palace Oba Okunade Sijuwade, the Ooni of Ife, yesterday. The Ooni and other Obas endorsed and prayed for the president.

Olamide – Confirm Ni ft. Wizkid

“Multi-talented songwritter Olamide has teamed up once again with Wizkid and the result is another promising track. Titled “Confam Ni,” the YBNL rap sensation bosses up on the boastful verse. The fellas jump on the melodic beat produced by Young John, you’re guaranteed this is another hit.

Check it out below, and stay tuned for much more from Olamide this year.”

Enjoy!
download

Magnito – “Kaka Remix” ft. Timaya (Leak)

Checkout the Kaka remix  from Magnito featuring Timaya in “Kaka (Remix)“. This is supposed to be a leak but any way it’s a good song so download and share your thoughts on what you think of it.

download

DJ Neptune – “So Nice” ft. Davido & Del B

The award winning international DJ Neptune teams up with Africa’s No1 artist Davido and multiple award winning producerDel B on “So Nice” and be on the look out for the video which drops real soon. Make sure you get the Album when it comes out, for now get your groove on with this sweet classic record from DJ Neptune.

Enjoy!

download

Kidnapped US Missionary worker regains freedom

The American Missionary worker, Rev. Phyllis Sortor, who was
kidnapped in the Hope Academy Compound in Kogi state on
Monday February 23rd has regained her freedom. According
to the Kogi state Police Commissioner, no ransom was paid for
her freedom.

How nice! Obafemi Martins buys G-Wagon for his babymama

Abigail Barwuah, Obafemi Martins babymama shared the
photos of the new ride on instagram this morning and wrote
"Nd then he surprises me with this today! #G
WAGEN#G63AMG #Biturbo #2015 #mynewcar God bless U
amor @obagoal ❤️❤".

PHOTOS: I wasn’t trying to seduce the President –Seyi Shay

Most entertainers have been having fun with President Goodluck Jonathan in recent times and earlier in the week, the President was in Lagos and hanged out with some of these celebrities.

Singer, Seyi Shay was among the entertainers and the pretty diva ‘broke’ the internet with the dress she wore to meet the president at the event.

The picture where the singer, wearing an incredibly short dress, while sitting beside the president, went viral and so many fans and foes have expressed their feelings concerning Seyi’s outfit.

Many people, including celebrities and notable figures such as comedian Wale Gates; social analyst, Omojuwa, took to their social media accounts to express their feelings over her choice of outfit.

However, when Saturday Beats contacted the singer, she explained that she had two outfits for the event and the outfit that caused the stir was what she wore to perform.

She emphasised that she is a respectable lady and was not planning to seduce the president in any way.

“I am a very respectable young lady and I was not in any way trying to seduce the President with the outfit I wore. I had two outfits for the event, one was for my performance and the other was worn after I performed. The dress I was pictured in with the President was what I wore during my performance.

“I came on stage and greeted everyone according to their culture and I did the same for Mr. President. He was impressed and he asked where and how I knew how to greet in his native dialect and I said I learnt it. That was what brought about the giggling and smiles in the picture. I’m a performer and what I do on stage doesn’t reflect my everyday life. I had two outfits on that day and it was a youth event. Who wouldn’t feel overwhelmed meeting the President? Well, I did and I felt honoured because it is not every day you get to meet the president of your country,” she said.

Seyi said her fans should expect her much anticipated album at the last quarter of the year.

“I am busy working on my album and it would be out by the last quarter of the year. I promise not to disappoint my fans. I would deliver because I love you all,” she said.

News In Pictures: President Jonathan and First Lady at the gym

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan will tomorrow, Saturday, March 7, 2015 lead government officials as well as sportsmen and women on an out-door physical training exercise in Abuja aimed at promoting sports and fitness in Nigeria.

The training exercise, which will start at 7.00 am, will include a long walk from the Presidential Villa by President Jonathan accompanied by top government officials, Presidential aides, political associates, leading sports personalities and enthusiasts.

The programme, which will also include jogging, physical stretches and light aerobics, will culminate in a solidarity rally for President Jonathan at the Eagle Square organized by the Nigerian sports community.

Sports personalities expected to participate in the physical training exercise and solidarity rally include Mary Onyali, Austin Eguavoen, Kanu Nwankwo, Joseph Yobo and Chika Chukwumerije, amongst others.

The event will be broadcast live on the Network Service of the Nigerian Television Authority.

Photos: Kanye grabs Kim's butt as the two return to their hotel

Behave Mr..lol. Kanye West grabbed his wife's backside and
gave the back of her neck a smooch as they walked back to
their Paris hotel today after an outing.

Shading Wiz Khalifa? Amber Rose shares name of book she's currently reading

Amber Rose took to instagram to share a photo of the name
and cover page of the interesting book she's reading. She also
wrote; "New book I'm reading. Trying to figure these men out.
Smh I don't think I'll ever fully understand them.". Lol.