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Canadian model backtracks on Kanye West cheating claims

The Canadian model who claimed earlier this week that Kanye cheated on Kim with her, is now claiming that the affair happened before Kanye started dating Kim.

 From The Sun

Canadian beauty Leyla Ghobadi, 26, made global headlines after she was accused of sleeping with the rapper while his reality-star lover was pregnant.

Last night she broke her silence and told The Sun she did romp with the hip-hop star three times — but before he dated Kim.

She said she met Kanye, 36, when she went backstage at his concert on 22 November 2011 in her hometown Montreal.

At least she's had her fifteen minutes of fame.

Leyla revealed: “I was introduced to him at the Montreal concert. We met backstage as I knew members of his band. We ended up having sex at the Thompson Hotel.

“He then flew some friends and I out to Toronto for his two concerts in the next two days. We had sex again there. This was all before Kim Kardashian and he never spoke about her. But what I do know is that Kanye is a Romeo — he can never be trusted.

“He will never be faithful to one girl and has women falling at his feet all the time.” A US magazine claimed on Wednesday the Gold Digger star — who releases his new album Yeezus next week — cheated on pregnant Kim, 32, in October.

The mag also reckoned Kanye was trying to contact Leyla as recently as last week, which she denies. But she said: “I can’t believe all this publicity — I’m having anxiety attacks. I’ve been out with other singers and never kissed and told. I’m not starting now.

“I’m not the type to talk about such things — I’ve got family and friends to consider.” Kanye has denied the cheating claims. His spokesman said: “This attack on Kanye and his family is totally without merit.”

Who agrees with this tweet from Kelly Handsome...?

What do you guys think?

How Fatai Rolling Dollar was buried

By BENJAMIN NJOKU, ANOZIE EGOLE & IYABO AINA
The quiet community of Millennium Estate, Oko-Oba, in Agege, wore a gloomy outlook yesterday  as top musicians, friends and other entertainers stormed the place to bid farewell to the veteran juju musician, Fatai Olagunju popularly known as Fatai Rolling Dollar who died last  Wednesday at Marritol Hospital, following a brief illness.
The musician’s  remains were committed to mother earth yesterday afternoon at his uncompleted building site in Ikorodu area of Lagos.  He was buried without a casket according to muslim custom.
The Fidau (Muslims prayer for the dead) was conducted earlier in the day at his Millennium Estate, Oko-Oba residence, where well-wishers and friends had the final glimpse of the octogenarian musician before the body was moved to Ikorodu for interment.

*Late Fatai

Top musicians at the Fidau include, former PMAN President, Admiral Dele Abiodun, Segun Adewale, Dayo Kujore, Champion Kunle Opio, Islamic scholars, music industry titans, fans and family members.
Meanwhile, veteran musicians, Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Prince Adekunle and others were in the deceased’s Oko-Oba Millennium Estate residence on Wednesday evening to receive the corpse from the hospital alongside family members.
In his condolence message, King Sunny Ade sounded emotional, saying that “We are going to miss Pa Rolling Dollars greatly.” He said, “Pa please come to life to make us happy again if God permits.”
For Stella Monye, Rolling Dollar lived and rocked  well as a veteran musician.
Also, paying tribute to the deceased, the Secretary of the neighbourhood Association, Mr Shola Adebayo described, Rolling Dollar, as  “  a loving and caring father who always concerned himself about other people’s problems  within the neighbourhood.”
Chief Tony Okoroji, Chairman Copyright Society of Nigeria who is presently on official duty outside the country also paid a glowing tribute to the late highlife maestro. “Just before leaving the country, I had been given a hint by a mutual friend, Mr. Niyi Ojemakinde, the radio personality, that Pa Fatai Rolling Dollar was in hospital.
I had so badly wanted to go and see him but there was just no time. He was a legend, a fantastic person with a very positive attitude to life who treated everyone with courtesy. I believe that his attitude to life was responsible for the long life he lived and that should be a lesson for all us. He was committed to the unity of the Nigerian music industry and never missed any meeting of COSON. He will be missed by a lot of people whom he inspired. COSON will ensure that Fatai Rolling Dollar is immortalized’

The late Juju/highlife music maestro who reportedly died of cancer related disease left behind sixteen children and wives. Some of the children are Jamiu, Funmi, Mojeed, Nimota and Adewumi.
Rolling Dollar was one of the highlife musicians who made the genre popular in the 60s and 70s. He was famous for his evergreen classic, ‘Won Kere Si Number Wa’.
Before his death, Rolling Dollar  reportedly told his family members not to weep for him.
Meanwhile, the promoter who took Rolling Dollar to a musical tour of the United States of America (USA), Sampson Raji disclosed that the late musician actually died of cancer of the lungs.
According to the Maryland, USA-based music promoter, the veteran musician fell sick during the tour and he was taken to a hospital and it was at the hospital that he was diagnosed to have lung cancer.
Raji said Rolling Dollar went through series of tests for four days while he was admitted in the hospital for 12 days.
“After 12 days, he was discharged because his health had improved considerably due to the treatment and the drugs administered on him,” the promoter narrated.
He stated further that the late musician insisted on coming back home, saying he would prefer traditional treatment for his health.
“I had to change the ticket when he insisted on coming back home but I want to tell you that as at the time he was coming back home, his health had improved. He was even distributing his CDs to fans at the airport,” Raji said.
Rolling Dollar started his musical career in 1953 and had mentored other great musicians like Evangelist Ebenezer Obey and the late Orlando Owoh, among others. Known for his dexterity at playing the guitar, Rolling Dollar’s last major hit was “Won Kere Si Number Wa”. The late musician was given a house in one of the low cost housing estates in New Oko Oba, Lagos.
Juju music legend, Ebenezer Obey was among those trained by the late musician.
Rolling Dollar, who had three wives and 16 children, died as the oldest surviving music artiste in Nigeria.

Wizkid & girlfriend show love as she celebrates birthday & graduation

Tania Omotayo celebrated her birthday and graduation in Atlanta recently, and her boo congratulated her on Twitter, telling her he loves her. Best part - she loves him more! Awwww, young love!...:-)

Pictures from Yvonne Nelson's wedding with Banky W click here to view pictures

Yvonne Nelson and Banky W Did their secret wedding yesterday, she posted the picture by herself not long ago, Praiz, waje Lynxxx and more were present at the wedding, check out the pictures from the wedding and her tweet to confirm after the cut..



This is actually a scene where Yvonne Nelson Plays Banky W's Wife At Mai Atafo's ‘The Grandeur Collection - Dream Wedding' Launch. -

FG uncovers N58bn unremitted revenue

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief
ABUJA—Ministry of Finance has traced N58 billion unremitted revenue of the Federal Government to various bank accounts. It said the funds were ‘hidden’ by unscrupulous bank managers and collaborators in ministries, departments and agencies.
The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday in Abuja, threatened heavy sanctions, including closure of such accounts, against the culprits if by Monday next week all such monies were not paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government.
She said, in a statement, that the practice through which government officials place government revenue in illegal accounts to earn interests for their pockets was unacceptable and must be stopped immediately.
The statement
It said: “It has come to the attention of the Federal Ministry of Finance that some Federal Government agencies that generate independent revenue, in collusion with some banks, have refused to remit monies to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, CRF, of the Federal Government which they are obliged by law to do.
“We have identified about N58 billion of such monies, which rightfully belongs in the CRF.
“This unwholesome practice has persisted despite the efforts of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to encourage the agencies and the affected banks to do the right thing.
“Rather than comply, the agencies and banks, through their lawyers have engaged in all manner of legal subterfuges to ensure that monies, which are due to the Federal Government are not remitted.
“The objective of this conspiracy against the national interest is clear: to keep government monies indefinitely in accounts earning interest for individuals at the expense of the Federal Government and the Nigerian people.
“This is totally unacceptable and the Federal Ministry of Finance is determined that this practice must end forthwith.
“Starting Monday, June 17, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, in exercise of its powers under the extant laws and rules, will close the accounts of agencies involved in this practice in all banks.
“This process of systematic closure will continue until all monies that should be in the Consolidated Revenue Fund are retrieved.

IBB has been our pillar – Abiola’s family

By CLIFFORD NDUJIHE & DAUD OLATUNJI
LAGOS —TWENTY years after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential elections presumably won by late business tycoon, Chief M.K.O Abiola, the Head of Abiola family, Mubashiru, yesterday, exonerated former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida from the complicity that led to the death of Abiola in government’s custody. Rather, he said that Babangida, who annulled the election, had been a pillar of support to the Abiola family since the business mogul died in detention on July 7, 1998.
Mubashiru, M.K.O Abiola’s younger brother spoke at Abiola’s Oja-Agbo family house in Abeokuta during the 2013 June12 democracy walk organized by the Ogun State Government.
The disclosure came on a day that President Goodluck Jonathan said that ‘June 12’ had changed the history of the country for good as leading politicians, activists and groups at different events to commemorate the 20th anniversary of June 12 lamented that little or no improvement in the welfare of Nigerians had been achieved since 1993, adding that poverty among the citizenry had worsened.

JUNE 12 RALLY: Comrade Rex Anighoro, Spokesman of NDPSF, addressing members of Niger Delta People Salvation Front, NDPSF, during a rally yesterday in Warri in commemoration of the annulled June 12 election.
Photo: AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE.

Meantime, the Federal Government said, yesterday, that it was ready to immortalise Abiola and urged Nigerians to come up with suggestions on how best to honour the late politician. The government’s effort to name the University of Lagos after Abiola last year hit a brick wall with opposition from stakeholders and students of the institution.
Mubashiru, who in an interview with newsmen in Abeokuta appealed to the Federal Government to pay the debt it was owing Abiola, said Babangida‘s support  to the Abiola family was unparalleled after the death of their bread winner, saying, the family believed strongly that, it was not possible for the General to kill his former friend.
He said: “Babangida did anything we wanted in this family. Unless he did not know, he would come. He has been supporting this family. He always supports the family. There was a time Abiola’s daughter was wedding, Babangida was here with his wife right away from Minna, sat down with us; he left his wife to stay with us till the second day. She slept in M K O’s house till the second day.
“That is the major reason why I will always support him and I don’t believe that Babangida was the one that killed M KO, no. That is capital no. Everybody knew that Babangida was not in the government when M KO died. How could you say that somebody who was not there did something? It is not possible. Babangida does not know anything about the death of M.K.O.”
Delivering a speech on behalf of the family, Mubashiru described IBB’s regime as the best urging current governments at all levels to embrace the vision of June 12 by ensuring good governance.
“I want to state unequivocally that General Babangida’s administration remains the best ever in the nation’s history and I implore our current administrators at various levels of governance to embrace the vision of June 12, by ensuring that every Nigerian family gets food on their table and shelters on their heads, all employable youths get jobs while the nooks and crannies of the Federation enjoy basic amenities.”

Pay your debt to Abiola’s family

Appealing to the Federal Government to pay the money it owes the Abiola family, he said: “I also want to thank the President Goodluck Jonathan, for what the Federal Government ought to have done for the family, but was yet to be done. I take advantage of today’s 20th anniversary of June 12, to request President Jonathan to invite Abiola’s family to a meeting to deliberate on how the Federal Government intends to settle the long standing debts owed that political icon, business mogul and symbol of our modern day democracy.”

How June 12 changed our history – Jonathan

Speaking shortly after inaugurating the chairman and members of the re-constituted Police Service Commission, President Jonathan said June 12 was a unique day in the nation. He said although the Federal Government was yet to recognize the day as a public holiday, some state governments had done so. There have been calls from prominent Nigerians urging the Federal Government to recognize June 12 as the nation’s Democracy Day as against May 29.
Prominent Nigerians, who honoured Abiola and urged government to pursue policies that would provide basic amenities and eradicate poverty, were former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Godswill Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo); former Abia State Governor, Orji Uzor Kalu; Founder of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr Frederick Fasehun; former Governor of Ogun State, Aremo Segun Osoba; Convener of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Dr Tunde Bakare; Chief Frank Kokori and Femi Falana (SAN).
Others include Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Ayo Opadokun, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, President of Nigeria Guild of Editors, Femi Adesina; Mr Abdul Oroh, Abiola’s first son, Kola; Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, Ms Ann Kio-Briggs, Jimi Agbaje, Mrs Modupe Adelaja and Hon Dino Melaye.

Nigeria worse in 2013 than 1993 – Bakare

At Democracy Audit organized by the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) at Sheraton Hotel, Lagos to mark June 12, Convener of the group, Dr Tunde Bakare, said since the historic election, Nigeria had remained impoverished and the problems Abiola promised to tackle remain unsolved.
He spoke as Information Minister, Labaran Maku, who attended the event countered that some improvement even though little had been made and said the government was ready to immortalize Abiola.
In a speech entitled: “From Hope ‘93 to 2013: How Far Has Democracy Brought Nigeria?” Bakare said though some gains like freedom of speech had been recorded, they were not enough as the problems of poverty and flawed elections among others persist.
He urged the government to immortalise Abiola by naming edifices like the National Stadium after him.
His words:  “The 1993 MKO Abiola vs. Bashir Tofa election, conducted exactly 20 years ago today, is popularly termed the freest and fairest in the history of Nigeria. It was Nigeria’s first taste of a renascent democracy after so many years of military rule, coups and counter-coups. It was an election whose callous annulment shook the nation. Since then, the country has witnessed a lot of changes – for better, and for worse. However, none of those occurrences have left the country exactly the same…”

Some mileage has been recorded – Maku

Speaking at the event Maku said that government was making progress in the areas of power supply by commencing the building of 10 power plants, stopped fertilizer racketeering to boost agriculture, delivered 32 roads in 2012, saved N118 billion from ghost workers among others and urged the citizenry to support the government in its effort to develop the country.
Arguing that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has achieved in some areas, Maku cited Power, Agriculture, Education and Transportation as major areas, government has fared well two years after assuming office.
Asked if FG had any plan to give M.K.O a post-humous honour, Maku disclosed that government was interested in immortalizing him. He said: “History will continue to immortalize Abiola, because he died fighting the cause for true democracy, which we are all enjoying today. I can say that the fact that I’m here today, representing the government, we are still looking at better ways to immortalize him, even though, there was public outcry when President Jonathan renamed the University of Lagos after M.KO.”

Privatization of power, not good for Nigeria — Kola Abiola

Son of the late M.K.O Abiola, Kola Abiola, however, faulted FG’s stance that the privatization of Nigeria’s power sector was key to stable power supply in the country. He said: “The idea of privatizing power is not a good idea for Nigeria. If power is privatized, how can the 90 per cent and 70 per cent of Nigerians who live below $2 and $1 per day respectively, afford it? It will only be meant for the rich,” insisting that government must guarantee the citizen some basis things before privatization.

June 12 Movement seeks national dialogue

Eminent Nigerians and leaders of thought, who gathered at a special assembly hosted by the June 12 Movement in conjunction with Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND) have decided to commence massive mobilization across the nation for the convocation of a national dialogue to resolve the crises in the country.
At a solemn assembly at the Ikeja, Lagos residence of Chief MKO Abiola, the leaders according to a  communiqué signed by the National Coordinator, Mr. Olawale Okunniyi said they took this position in the light of subsisting emergency and insecurity in the country orchestrated by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North and youth militancy in the South.
The August gathering which include Chief Ayo Adebanjo who chaired the assembly, Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN), Speaker of Lagos State House Assembly, Adeyemi Ikuforiji; Governor of Akwa Ibom, represented by his Commissioner for Information, Mr Aniekan Umanah; Hon Abike Dabiri Erewa, Alhaji Shettimah Yerima, Hon Adijat Oladapo Adeleye, Dr Keziah Awosika of PRONACO; Mr Lekan Abiola, son of MKO Abiola; Alhaja Aminat Irawo and Mr Mohammed Fawehinmi among others decided to further engage the government in bringing about a negotiated settlement before the end of the year.

Tinubu, Fashola, others advocate rejection of impunity
Also, former Governor of Lagos state, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his predecessor, Babatunde Fashola and Professor Olarenwaju Fagbohun and some elder statesmen and human rights activists called on Nigerians to reject the culture of impunity on law and order to deepen the country’s democracy.

They spoke at the event co-organised by June 12 Coalition of Democratic Formations, held at LTV ground, Agidingbi, Ikeja, with theme: ‘Electoral system: The bane of political instability in Nigeria,’ which was chaired by former administrator of Lagos State, Rear Admiral Ndubuisi Kanu (rtd).
Tinubu, who was represented by the Secretary of National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, Chief Ayo Opadokun, lamented that 14 years after the country returned to democracy, Nigeria was still crawling rather than walking.

Make June 12 a national day – Mimiko

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to elevate June 12 to a pan Nigerian event.
He spoke at a symposium organised by the state government in Akure to mark the 20th anniversary of the annulled 1993 election, the governor said that MKO Abiola represents the totality of Nigerians to make a change and submitted that the June 12 victory was a pan Nigerian mandate.

Nigeria could disintegrate in months, Kalu warns

Erstwhile governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, warned that Nigeria could disintegrate within months well ahead of the 2015 doomsday prophesy on account of increasing disaffection in the polity.
In a lecture marking the 20th anniversary of the June 12, 1993 presidential election delivered in Lagos yesterday, Kalu nevertheless gave options for the country to survive disintegration among which were social justice and a workable electoral system.
In the lecture delivered at the behest of the Odua Peoples Congress, OPC, he called for all elections to be conducted the same day.
Regretting the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and the possible honour it could have brought to the rulers at that time, he said: “That election could have positioned the then military president, Gen Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB) as the authentic Nigerian hero, celebrated at home and abroad, but alas, the election was voided, and it threatened the fabric that held us together as a country.”

Stop lamenting, Osoba, Falana, Kokori, others tell Nigerians

Leading politicians, and eminent persons who attended a similar event organized by the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Lagos State Council, called on Nigerians to stop reducing every anniversary of the annulment of June 12 presidential election to a day of lamentation.
They also regretted that the progressive camp failed to have a political platform, noting that June 12 would always be celebrated in Nigeria.
The Guest Speaker, Kokori, who spoke on theme; ‘Post June 12: The Good and the Bad’, took a swipe at the Judiciary and other sections of the society for alleg edly betraying the struggle for a truly democratic nation.
His words: “Celebrating June 12 is celebrating a generation of Nigerians who sacrificed themselves for the democratization of Nigerians.
“In December, when I will be 70, I will release my memoir in which I have named 50 heroes of the struggle whose names must not be missing in the honours list. It is saddening to know that most Nigerians have lost consciousness of the significance of June 12; we must know that June 12 is very significant.”
Similarly, Osoba said,  “I am writing a book on that period; we at NADECO made the mistake of not having a political wing like the IRA in Northern Ireland. If Tinubu had listened to our leaders who did not want us to participate in the transition programme, he would have remained in America and he would not have been a governor. We have learnt our mistake. It is not worthwhile that the civil society should continue to lament bad governance 20 years after. I want the civil society to support the emerging political platform of progressives in the country.
Falana, who drew much applause from the audience, extolled the role played by the media in those days, naming such media houses as The News, Tempo, Tell, The Guardian, Vanguard and others.  He noted that a number of journalists lost their lives in the struggle while many were imprisoned and tortured.

Fasehun berates Tofa for belittling June 12

Founder and President of Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasehun berated Alhaji Bashir Tofa, the presidential candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC), who contested against Abiola in the June 12, 1993 election for attempting to rubbish and belittle the June 12 historical event.
Fasehun stated this at a press conference in Lagos in commemoration of June 12.
Last week Tofa said June12 was dead and should be forgotten.
The OPC leader stated that when someone in the calibre of Tofa, attempts to belittle that historical event, then Nigeria was in trouble.  “A foreigner may ask us to forget June 12 and he will be forgiven. A child may ask us to forget June 12 and he will be forgiven. A dim-wit may ask us to forget June 12 and he will be forgiven. However, when someone in the calibre of Alhaji Bashir Tofa, Presidential Candidate of the National Republican Convention (NRC), and Abiola’s opponent in the 1993 election, attempts to rubbish and belittle that historical event, then Nigeria is in trouble,” he said.

Why we prefer live human beings – Suspected parts dealer

By Evelyn Usman
LAGOS — Operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja have arrested three fleeing members of a syndicate who allegedly specialized in selling live  humans and decomposing human parts for money rituals.
Their arrest came barely three weeks after some of their  members were paraded at the Lagos State Police Command, where they confessed to have sold live human beings for N40,000, hands—N4,000 and head—N8,000.
Those recently arrested are Gazali Akewadola (60), the native doctor  who allegedly offered N40,000 for a live human being, Alfa Taofeek Akinola  (35) and Kazeem Sanni (25).

The suspects

To the bewilderment of all, Gazali confessed that live human beings were cheaper than buying dead human parts, saying all parts of a live human being are vital in the preparation of money ritual.
For instance, he said a life human being was bought for N40,000, “but at the end of the day, you get a lot of  expensive parts  from it. Aside that, it is even more potent  because the efficacy of the charm or concoction  prepared with live human parts cannot be compared with the ones prepared with dead parts.
“When a life human being is killed, one will get fresh blood which is used in preparing some charms. The same body will also give you hairs from private part, head and some  mustache which are used for other ritual purposes. The private part is also very useful for the preparation of effective concoction. The head,flesh intestines, liver, heart, eyes, lips and tongues can be used for pepper soup which is usually very delicious than that of animal meat. I usually take the pepper soup so as to assure those who patronize us that it is not harmful. It also fortifies one spiritually.
“If you buy a full human being for N30,000 or N40,000 and pieces it, you will end up getting N100,000 or more because you will get more than 10 parts that will yield more money for you.”
Gazali who hails from Folahan, Ado-Odo in Owode Yewa Local Government Area of Ogun State, further said: “I am an Islamic teacher and a cleric. I own an Islamic school in Owode Yewa. I am also married with eight  children. I am also a native doctor. I cure people of  their ailments and help those who want to get rich quick, by using human parts to prepare charms and concoctions for them.
We use soft bones to cure epilepsy
“Most of the human parts I bought were sold to me by  Kazeem Sanni.  He used to sell dead human head between N3,000 and N8000, depending on the market price. The soft bones that can easily be grinded into powder are very cheap. It is just for  N1,000. It is used to cure ailments like epilepsy.”
Asked why he did not use any of his children since he has eight of them, he said that would reduce the potency of the ritual concoction, adding that its potency depended solely on strangers being used. He said their victims were usually abducted from Lagos State and beyond, with the use of charms.
He further disclosed that  aside the N40,000 paid to Sanni to get him a live human being, he gave him another N5,000 and a charm to hypnotize the male victims. But he said the plan almost failed as Sanni was almost caught. He, however, expressed regrets that despite the use of human parts to make other people rich, he ended up not only being poor but arrested along the line.

Money ritual charm changed my level

The second suspect, Alfa Taofeek, who is also an indigene of Owode Yewa in Ogun State confessed to have bought a human head from the third suspect, Kazeem, which he grinded and mixed with local gin.
According to him, “it was to enable me get rich. I am a Muslim cleric and I have been making people rich through this means but became jealous at a point and decided to get rich as well, since I was unable to get enough money from my clients.
“After drinking the concoction prepared with a human head, I got more customers and made more money. I even threw parties on a monthly basis to celebrate my new level.
“I also used part of the money to sponsor the graduation ceremony of some of my students in the Islamic school known as Alfa Taofeek Islamic School, at Owode Yewa.”

Customs officers lured me into money rituals

On his part, the third suspect, Kazeem Sanni, claimed to have opted for the money ritual business due to frustration from Customs men.
He said: “At a point, business was no longer moving because Customs men at the border were always seizing the goods, at the end of which their owners would force me to pay for them. I became frustrated even contemplated selling my father’s landed property. I decided to consult Alfa Taokeek Akinola to find out the cause of my predicament. He instructed me to get a human head in order to be rich. After that, he requested a live human being. I attempted kidnapping someone so that I can cut off his head but it was not possible. He then instructed me to exhume dead body from the graves which I did and got him three at the rate of N3,000 each.”
Their arrest, as explained by spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, Ngozi Braide, was in compliance with the Commissioner of Police, Umar Manko’s directive to SARS  Commander, Abba Kyari, to get the fleeing suspects, after the arrest  of three members of the syndicate on May 15, 2013, with human parts.

Mandela’s co-accused marks 49 years since life sentence

 
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – As Nelson Mandela spent a fifth day in hospital Wednesday, one of his anti-apartheid comrades recalled the day exactly 49 years ago when they were sentenced to life imprisonment by the apartheid regime.
Mandela’s co-accused Andrew Mlangeni, 87, remembers June 12, 1964, the day of their sentencing, “like yesterday.”
“It is still so clear,” he told AFP, it was a “turning point in the history of South Africa.”
“On that day Mandela accepted his fate and made it clear that he was prepared to die” for the struggle to empower non-white South Africans.
Mlangeni, and a half dozen others, had been arrested almost a year earlier on a farm in Rivonia, north of Johannesburg, during a police raid.
Mandela was already in custody, but Liliesleaf, as the farm was known, was a meeting place for activists plotting against the regime.
It was also the headquarters of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the military wing of the ANC and crucially for Mandela, where he left his diary.
After being convicted by the Pretoria court on June 11, eight men reappeared in the dock to hear their sentence, with some, including Mandela, expecting to hang.
But instead Mandela and seven other anti-apartheid activists were sentenced to life imprisonment.
“As a top suspect, we expected Mandela to get a stiff sentence, but a life sentence still came as a shock,” said Mlangeni who was to himself spend 26 years on Robben Island prison.
“The mood was that of acceptance,” he said, adding that Mandela took the sentence in his stride.
Mlangeni acknowledged the pressure piled on the apartheid regime by the international community likely helped to avoid the death sentence.
“I think they relented. After all they didn’t want us to become the martyrs of the black struggle.”
Ten men initially stood trial. Eight of them were convicted including Mandela, Mlangeni, Walter Sisulu, Ahmed Kathrada, Govan Mbeki, Denis Goldberg, Raymond Mhlaba and Elias Motsoaledi.
Only Goldberg, who was white, was not sent to Robben Island.
But the trial was, in the words of the Mandela Centre of Memory, “arguably the most significant political trial in South African history”.
During his defence, instead of responding to the charges, Mandela chose to make speech that was to electrify the courtroom, South Africa and the world.
It ended with the words: “I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.”
“It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”
The speech was to become the manifesto of the anti-apartheid movement.
“Mandela’s speech on the dock was not only directed to the South African white rulers. He addressed the entire world,” said Political analyst Zamikhaya Maseti.
“He managed to get the attention of the world before disappearing for decades,” he added.
But the sentencing also had a “demobilising effect” on the anti-apartheid struggle.
“The imprisonment of leaders like Mandela, Sisulu and Mbeki created a leadership vacuum,” said Maseti.
Mandela and others were flown to Robben Island off the coast of Cape Town on a military aircraft.
He spent 18 of his 27 years in prison on the island.
On February 11, 1990 he walked free from a Paarl prison just outside Cape Town where he was later moved, to lead political negotiations that paved the way for the country’s first democratic elections in 1994.
The elections saw him elected the country’s first black president, a job he held for a single four-year term.
Today only Mlangeni, Goldberg, Kathrada and Mandela survive.

FG dialogues with 104 Boko Haram suspects

Lagos – The Federal Government on Thursday began dialogue with the 104 Boko Haram suspects being detained in Lagos prisons.
The Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu, and Chairman, Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, led the committee members to the meeting.
Tanimu told newsmen after the meeting that the visit was aimed at interacting with the suspects and chart a new way forward.
“We came here basically to have interaction with people detained in connection with acts relating to terrorism.

“We have interacted and spoken to them and they responded very sincerely and frankly, and I think I can say that we were well informed about most of the things they were interested in.
“For now, we are more concerned with the release of vulnerable people and those not pinned down by the security agencies.
“We have seen those the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPR) advised for release.
“We have not seen any woman or child here, but even at that, I am sure the committee will make appropriate  recommendations as far as the issue of their release is concerned.
“We have interacted with stakeholders. We have been informed and we have been given advices that will help in making our recommendation to government.
“I can assure you that the committee is on top of the situation as far as dialogue is concerned. We have no serious challenges at the moment.” (NAN)

Pictures: Tonto Dikeh rocking in traditional attire

Check out our own Tontolet rocking in new pictures, She is really looking Dakpa on the Traditional attire, wow the make-up credits goes to Joyce Jacob Beauty..