Olumide Fafore's Blog: December 2013

Tuesday, 31 December 2013

APC And Its Web Of Deceit By Ogunjimi James Taiwo

I always tell people that when you define some terms, always know that for every term that exists, there's a separate Nigerian definition. It's in Nigeria that you fight inflation by producing 5000 notes. It's in Nigeria that you want to reduce child mortality rate and you're not building hospitals. It's in Nigeria that you want to reduce crime on the streets and you're taking people's means of livelihood. It's in Nigeria that you want your schools to be among top schools in the world and you're not funding education.
In the same vein, when people talk about APC and its attempt to revamp Nigeria's democracy, I can only laugh. APC? They want to evolve our democracy? The same people label themselves progressives yet they wine and dine with agents of backwardness. Do they even know what it means? Abegiiii...

Getty Images

Living, dead, undead--it seems they all took a liking to Miley Cyrus in the past year!

On Dec. 30, the Bangerz beauty was praised by Courtney Love for saving 2013 from dullness, and she was also--for real!--visited by a ghost named Sheila.

On December 30, our worlds were rocked with the news that Gabrielle Union’s fiancé, Dwyane Wade, had fathered a child with another woman while he and Gabrielle were on a “break.” The NBA star confirmed the news later that evening during a press conference, but did not share the name of his young son or the name of the boy’s mother.

VOLGOGRAD, Russia (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday vowed to annihilate "terrorists" following two deadly bomb attacks in less than 24 hours in the southern Russian city of Volgograd that raised security fears ahead of the Winter Olympics.

The uncompromising remarks in a New Year's Eve address were Putin's first public comments since suicide bombers killed at least 34 people in attacks on a railway station and a trolleybus on Sunday and Monday.

The bombings raised fears of further attacks before Russia hosts the Winter Olympics in less than six weeks in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, a major prestige project for Putin.

This is definitely 'unconventional' because the Head of the Catholic Church mostly wears his Papal regalia, regardless Esquire Magazine has named him their Best Dressed Man of 2013.

The magazine said he was picked because of his humility and his simple manner of dressing, which has 'signaled a new era and for many, renewed hope for the Catholic Church'

Egypt declares Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group

Egypt blames police HQ attack on Muslim Brotherhood, banning all its activities, including demonstrations

Combat units given permission to use live ammunition if necessary after car bomb at police headquarters causes worst loss of life on country’s mainland for years

Egypt’s military-backed government formally declared the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organisation on Wednesday, accusing it of carrying out a suicide bomb attack on a police station that killed 16 people.

The move, announced by deputy prime minister Hossam Eissa, marks a significant escalation in the government’s crackdown on the group.

It gives the authorities the power to charge any member of deposed President Mohamed Morsi’s movement with membership of a terrorist organisation and bans all its activities.

We just had our 25th anniversary, and I hate to think that my husband and I will end up, after years of happiness, with no sex life. People say it’s inevitable, but can’t older people have a good sex life?

As long as you avoid the Five Food Felons, keep physically and mentally active, avoid tobacco and manage stress, getting older doesn’t have to mean you’ll lose interest in sex or your ability to make it happen!

And as with fine wines, sex as you age has its rewards — and it’s different from being young. While people the world over report active sex lives throughout their 60s, 70s and 80s, hormone levels do decline in both men and women, and that alters the physical drive and bodily responses.

Arsenal are being linked with Olympique Marseille midfielder Mathieu Valbuena.

The Daily Express says the Gunners have been keeping an eye onNewcastle United midfielder Yohan Cabaye, but it is thought they would baulk at the £22 million asking price that has been placed on him.

Valbuena, however appears to be a more realistic target with the 29-year-old poised to leave Marseille in January.

The playmaker is rated in the €10 million class.

AfroCandy: Bloggers Get Some Education. Releases New Pictures.

Check out her tweets and pics below

Talk about Nigeria's Bey and Jay, power couple things.
According to LIB, 33 years old D'Banj and Nigerian screen goddess Genevieve Nnaji, 34, are back in love again, two years after they first called it quits.

Doctors give no prognosis for Michael Schumacher

The family of Formula One champion Michael Schumacher remain at his bedside in hospital as footage emerges of him being airlifted by helicopter from the slopes to hospital.

Video of the helicopter airlift shows rescuers and other skiers watching as the helicopter takes off and heads to the hospital at the bottom of the valley.

The champion driver is in an induced coma following surgery after he suffered a severe head injury while skiing off-piste in the resort of Meribel in France on Sunday.

Doctors have refused to speculate on a prognosis for the 44-year-old German.

Jason Derulo Gives Lover Jordin Sparks A New BMW As Xmas Gift.

24 year old singer-songwriter Jason Derulo gave his singer girlfriend, Jordin Sparks, a brand newchampagne-coloured BMW sedan as a Christmas present. An excited Jordin shared the photo of the car on her instagram page. #Betterboyfriendthings. :-)

Miley Cyrus Has The Most Tweeted About Song Of The Year

Miley Cyrus already has the most viewed VEVO video of the year, so it’s no surprise to see that she’s also got the most tweeted about video, too.

According to Rolling Stone, “Wrecking Ball” got a whopping 8.1 million mentions to become the most tweeted-about clip of the year, easily beating out videos from the likes of Drake, Demi Lovato, and Justin Bieber. In addition to coming first with “Wrecking Ball,” “We Can’t Stop” managed to come in fifth place with 3.1 million mentions.

Defection Of PDP Members: An Old Wine In A New Wine Skin By Frank O. Ijege

Since the return to democracy in 1999, a single party has dominated the political scene and has remained relevant till date. One must state here that the PDP, like other parties at that time, was not established with any clear cut ideology. They were merely created as a platform to transform Nigeria from military to civilian rule. Thus, these political parties were hurriedly put together, because of the peculiar circumstances at that time. This lack of ideological structures, has seen parties like the Alliance for Democracy (AD), All People Party (APP), disappear into thin air. Although some of them metamorphosed into other parties through change names, their existence was short lived because the ideological frame work required to form a party remains lacking.

Photos of the day

Revelers take part in the Battle of Enfarinats, a flour fight during the annual Els Enfarinats festival in Ibi, Spain. Residents celebrate using flour, eggs and firecrackers. The battle takes place between two groups: a group of married men called Els Enfarinats — who take control of the village for one day, pronouncing ridiculous laws and fining those who infringe them — and a group called La Oposicio, whose members try to restore order. At the end of the day, the money collected from the fines is donated to charitable causes. (David Ramos / Getty Images)

Listen to the interviews below

We have reports that one of Nigeria's female rappers, Sasha P has been blessed with a mouth-watery brand endorsement deal with a telecoms giant, Etisalat.

The talented rapper and law graduate of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), according to the reports, was added to the list of celebrities projecting the good image of the brand, which lost Saka to its arch rival, MTN, some months ago.

Even though details of the contract is not yet disclosed to the media, we gathered that it is in the region of seven digits.

The rapper only released a single, 'Recognise' recently after being silent for a long time before Etisalat 'recognised' her for the deal. Ice Prince, Seyi Shay, Olamide are also brand ambassadors for Etisalat.

2face opens another 'Rumour nite club' in Festac

Many of our Nigerian celebrities are sure ending this year on a wonderful note, from the bagging of awards to the chieftancy titles and all the others, unfortunately some didn't make it to the end of this tunnel. Anyways those who made it sure want to create something good before this year runs out,

Popular music artiste 2face Idibia who has had a club named Rumors Night Club in Ikeja has just opened another one now a in Festac.,,,Nice one!! Another pic after cut

The end of the year typically brings about its fair share of self-reflection and pop diva Britney Spears is no exception. The 32-year-old musical maven recently revealed whom she looks to for inspiration in her own work. At the top of the list: ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake! Brit tells USA Today her former flame is “so different and fresh.” Agreed.

MOSCOW (AP) — A blast that tore through an electric bus in the southern Russian city of Volgograd during Monday's morning rush hour, killing 14, was probably carried out by suicide bombers from the same organization behind a railway explosion a day earlier, officials said.

Together more than 30 people were killed in the explosions, putting the city of one million on edge and highlighting the terrorist threat Russia is facing as it prepares to host February's Winter Games in Sochi, President Vladimir Putin's pet project. While terrorists may find it hard to get to the tightly guarded Olympic facilities, the bombings have shown they can hit civilian targets elsewhere in Russia with shocking ease.

Born January 3, 1969 in Huerth-Hermuelheim, Germany

First Grand Prix

Schumacher's first grand prix was with Jordan in Belgium in 1991, as a stand-in for jailed Belgian driver Bertrand Gachot. Despite completing only 500 metres in the race, he made an immediate impression with a storming start.

Iyetade Soyinka, a daughter of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, has died. Ms. Soyinka, who was born June 6, 1965, died at the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital where she was being treated for an undisclosed ailment.

By SaharaReporters, New York

SaharaReporters has discovered that the shady plan to sell off Nigeria’s four refineries to cronies of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has reached an advanced stage, with cronies of President Goodluck Jonathan and Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke in line to snatch some of the best assets.

MOYES: MAN UTD WIN ALL DOWN TO WELBECK. HE'S NOW KEY PLAYER

Manchester United boss David Moyes says Danny Welbeck was the genuine matchwinner in victory at Norwich City.

Following Welbeck's introduction at halftime, United looked much more balance going forwards and got the crucial breakthrough on 57 minutes when a clearance from Ryan Bennett bounced back off the England striker and into the penalty area, where he rounded John Ruddy to slot home.

It was a sixth straight victory for David Moyes' men who are now back within striking distance of the Barclays Premier League top four heading into the new year.

Tajikistan 2013 © Wendy Marijnissen

13-year-old Dilbar, a TB patient, sits on a swing in the playground at the pediatric TB hospital in Dushanbe.

Tuberculosis (TB) and its drug-resistant forms are a global health threat to which children are particularly vulnerable. Where the disease is endemic, TB is a major but often unrecognized cause of disease and death among children. Pediatric TB accounts for an estimated 10 to 15 percent of all TB cases in the 22 highest-burden countries. Worldwide, TB is thought to kill at least 130,000 children each year. Yet for far too long, children with TB have been neglected.

Nuts to you! No, that’s not an insult. It’s a recommendation to add nuts to your diet for the sake of your health and longevity.

Consistent evidence for the health benefits of nuts has been accumulating since the early 1990s. Frequent nut consumption has been linked to a reduced risk of major chronic diseases, including heart and blood vessel disorders and Type 2 diabetes.

Africa’s youngest billionaire Ashish Thakkar, OC Ukeje, Kenneth Gyang, Saeed Jumah and others win at The Future Awards Africa 2013 in Port Harcourt

The names of the 16 winners of The Future Awards Africa 2013 were formally announced yesterday, at an annual awards ceremony hosted by the Rivers State Government; Dr. Rotimi Amaechi in Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Chude Jideonwo, executive director of The Future Project and co-founder of The Future Awards Africa, commented, “I am delighted to announce the winners of this year’s The Future Awards Africa. This year has been the most difficult year to judge to date, with so many compelling and inspiring stories of young Africans, all of whom deserve to be recognised and rewarded. The winners of this year’s Awards will go on to inspire a new generation of leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs across Africa and we’re looking forward to seeing the winners go on to touch thousands of lives across our great continent, leaving behind a legacy that will be recognised for years to come.”

Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly is one of the few no-nonsense pastors who say it the way it is to political leaders in government, no matter if you are happy with him or not. It was gathered that Pastor Bakare has rejected the Cow sent to him by President Gooodluck Jonathan as a Christmas gift.

A 50-year-old man drinks a few beers at his college reunion, maybe takes a shot or two. Later, he's feeling sick — perhaps worse than he'd ever felt in college, when he was pounding back far more drinks regularly. So why can't he handle his alcohol as well anymore?
For a variety of reasons, local experts say, including a liver that may function more slowly now, a greater likelihood of taking medications and a decreased tolerance due to lifestyle changes. Indeed, as people get older, they may become more sensitive to alcohol's effects, the National Institute on Aging warns.

Doe B Dead: Rapper Dies At 22

Rapper Doe B is dead following a shooting in Alabama. He was 22 years old. doe b dead dies

Doe B, real name Glenn Thomas, of Montgomery died after an early morning shooting on Saturday, Dec. 28, local NBC affiliate WSFA reported. Police responded to a call of multiple gunshots at the 900 block of Highland Avenue around 1:30 a.m.

Authorities found Doe B, 21-year-old Kimberle Johnson and six other victims, WSFA reported. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene, while Thomas was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The shooting occurred at a venue called the Centennial Hill Bar and Grill, according to AL.com. It was formerly known as Rose Supper Club, but that establishment lost its liquor license and closed a year ago after a December 2012 shooting left six people injured. Centennial Hill opened earlier this year.

Doe B's death was confirmed on Twitter by his camp.

Nollywood Actress Oge Okoye Honoured With A Chieftancy Title.

It wasn't just Chika Ike, actress Oge Okoye also got a Honorary Chieftaincy Title (Igolo Nwanyi 1 of Amoli) in Awgu L.G.A. Enugu State for her contribution to the growth and development of Igbo land. Congrats to her. Another pic after the cut...

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has told club owner Roman Abramovich he can win the Premier League with a new world class striker signing.

The Mail on Sunday says he has told Abramovich that the acquisition of a new world-class striker could see the Blues come through and take the title AND challenge for the Champions League.

In recent weeks Chelsea have been linked with a string of star strikers such as Radamel Falcao, Diego Costa, Gonzalo Higuain and Karim Benzema.

All the speculation is true. Mourinho wants any one of them and there is a list of others.

Obasanjo’s letter tears PDP apart

ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo
| credits: tonynwajeipost.blogspot.com

Menstruation Facts: Twelve Things You May Not Know About Your Period

Here are 12 things you may not know about your period: Menstruation Facts

1. You can get pregnant on your period. Yes, it is highly unlikely but it's not impossible so don't use menstruating as an excuse not to use protection.

2. You are most fertile during -- and around -- ovulation. Ovulation -- the release of an egg from an ovary -- typically happens midway through a woman's cycle.Ovulation calculators are helpful in tracking your cycle.

3. Irregular periods can mean any number of things. Irregular menstruation -- whether in the form of missing a period, spotting between periods or a period lasting more than seven days -- can be caused by everything from extreme weight loss or stress to pregnancy to the use of certain drugs to serious illnesses like uterine cancer. Consult your doctor if you are concerned about an irregular period.

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 27: Beyonce and Jay-Z attend a party at Reign Nightclub on December 27, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/FilmMagic)

PRINCE WILLIAMS/FILMMAGIC

Jay Z, meanwhile, released his own hit album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” in July and learned this month he’d received nine Grammy nominations — more than any other performer.

They're drunk in love — and spending like they’re downright wasted.

Jay Z and Beyoncé partied at Atlanta’s Club Reign on Friday night and generously bought nearly $100,000 in drinks for the entire VIP section, TMZ reported.

Transformation Agenda: Minister Of Works Ask For Feedback On Federal Roads.

A statement from the Minister of Works, Mike Onolememem.

Oftentimes, been in a position of authority comes with its own set of challenges. A good example is the bureaucracy that shields leaders from realities on ground. Most times, a minister’s aide(s) might not be his best means of touching base. Hearing directly from the people, without exposing oneself to unnecessary distractions, is the sure way to see and feel what is going on.

Miley Cyrus can't stop creating controversy. The 21-year-old singer was spotted getting cozy with rumored boyfriend Kellan Lutz this weekend in Las Vegas — and she also revealed that she wasn't wearing any underpants.

The US In South Sudan: New Conflict Tests Long-Term Relationship

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- After two weeks of violence in South Sudan, humanitarian crises all across the country are only getting worse. Tens of thousands of South Sudanese have left their homes seeking shelter elsewhere. Thousands of residents have been killed in the crossfire and skirmishes. Looting is rampant, and vigilantes roam the cities and rural zones.

Funmi Akingbade

One of the best ways to make the most of this season is to change the ordinary into the extra ordinary. Making things look different and new most times can be very exciting and enhancing. For example, sex can be taken beyond the bedchamber to any part of the home, just to create a difference. It’s been recorded that getting intimate outside the bedroom leaves lifetime imprint memories.

You may be wondering how possible that could be, considering the hustling and bustling of the season; amazingly, enticing sexual opportunities abound throughout your house.

For instance, if you are considering celebrating this season at home, it is never a bad idea but if you have a home that is always overcrowded during festive periods, having sex in your bathroom can be very handy and striking.

Chido Onumah

Columnist:

Chido Onumah

I have refrained from commenting on the pact between the All Progressives Alliance (APC) and the “new PDP” because, to some extent, I am involved.
While the merger process of Nigeria’s main opposition parties – which led to the formation of the APC – lasted, I had reason to engage some of my comrades, colleagues and friends on whether the APC was necessarily a progressive move in the quest to reclaim Nigeria.

We know Christmas is over, but we couldn’t help but share these adorable pictures of Usher spending the holidays with his family. More pics after cut...

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers knows their clash at Chelsea will be a landmark game for Luis Suarez.

This match will see Suarez and Branislav Ivanovic reunited for the first time since the Liverpool striker was given a 10-game ban for biting theChelsea defender in April. Rodgers does not expect any fallout.

"I think it will prove to be a turning point in his career," said Rodgers.

"He’s been brilliant in his return both on and off the field so I do not expect any backlash from that."

Watch list: Presidency, Amaechi in ‘fresh war’

Governor Rotimi Amaechi and President Goodluck JonathanThe Presidency and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, are in a fresh war of words over allegations that President Goodluck Jonathan is training snipers and keeping 1,000 people on a watch list.

While the governor stated that he was the number one person on the President’s watch list and that he had evidence to support this assertion, the Presidency said the governor was like a drunken man in a china shop who was only interested in bringing down everybody with him.

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Tuesday, 31 December 2013

Egypt blames police HQ attack on Muslim Brotherhood, banning all its activities, including demonstrations

Monday, 30 December 2013

Sunday, 29 December 2013

PRINCE WILLIAMS/FILMMAGIC

Jay Z, meanwhile, released his own hit album, “Magna Carta Holy Grail,” in July and learned this month he’d received nine Grammy nominations — more than any other performer.

Saturday, 28 December 2013