NAIRA NAIJA NEWS - NIGERIA

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. The death was disclosed in a statement signed by Jahman Anikulapo, an aide to Mr. Soyinka, one of the world's foremost dramatists and winner of the 1986 Nobel Prize in literature. The statement noted that the late Iyetade Soyinka was a student at the Staff School and Queens School, Ibadan before she studied Medicine at the University of Ibadan. Mr. Anikulapo's statement described the deceased as "affable, intelligent and sometimes capricious," adding that she "struggled with her health in recent years." Despite her health woes, the late Iyetade Soyinka "greeted every day with a smile and doted on her two children." The statement, which was issued on behalf of the deceased's family, revealed that Ms. Soyinka "took ill quit

They are so grown up and so cute...

Calabar carnival latest pictures

The Ayo Fayose Campaign Organisation's attention has been drawn to a purported adoption of our leader, Ayo Fayose as PDP governorship candidate for Ekiti 2014 Governorship Election. We consider it necessary to react because it has degenerated to the usual level of blackmailing and name calling by the unrepentant political foes of our organisation as posted on the social media severally. Let us not forget that our leader alone opposed the other 23 governorship aspirants and the state PDP Chairman who had endorsed adoption consensus, and the PDP NWC eventually agreed to uphold transparent primary as stated in the party'sconstitution. AYO FAYOSE DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO ADOPT HIM. Rather, he prefers to emerge as candidate after defeating other aspirants in a free and fair contest. We are sure of ourselves, we are fully prepared. We deserve respect from our opponents and this can only come after their defeat. In 2002, through a transparent primary, Fayose defeated t

AREGBESOLA may be KIDNAPPED, KILLED – Prophet Olubayo A shocking revelation about possible kidnap and murder of the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has been revealed by founder of the Evangelical Church of Yahweh, Primate Theophilus Olabayo, as part of his predictions for 2014. The primate revealed that the governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola risks being kidnapped in the New Year. Olabayo revealed this at his church headquarters in Lagos, just as he added that aside risking being kidnapped, the governor could also be killed. According to him, "Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has to be watchful so that they will not kidnap and kill him in the New Year. He has to be very careful so that he can survive the year." Please pray for Ogbeni wa oooooooo

Comrade Ebenezer Olaleye wrote- Dr Ayo Fayose: 15 Reasons He Can't Be Ekiti Governor Again There is one certainty as far as Ekiti State politics is concerned. That certainty is that Ekiti people are fed up with the present Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) government of Dr Kayode Fayemi. Even members and supporters of the ACN are angling to have a change of baton at the Oke-Bareke Government House come 2014. However, determined as Ekiti people are to send Fayemi out of the government house next year, the major puzzle still remains; "who will the next governor be?" Two options before the people are; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) picks a credible candidate and the party will be guaranteed a smooth and easy return to power, or; PDP fails to pick a credible candidate, a third force comprising of PDP members and aggrieved ACN members emerges, and presents a credible candidate to slug it out with Fayemi and whoever is picked as the PDP candidate. From the two options, PDP is at

What do you think is going on between the 2 titans?

Former Bishop of Lagos, retired Cardinal Anthony Okojie has finally reacted to the offensive remark made by Chris Okotie of Household of God where he said all Catholics will go to hell because they worship Satan and are led by an anti-Christ Pope. Reacting, Cardinal Okojie said Okotie needs to watch what he says or he'll be disgraced "It is always good to talk on what you know, not on what you do not know. The problem we have today is that a lot of people put their mouth in what does not concern them because they want people to know that they too are there; that they can be reckoned with. "I don't think that is the way to do things, no. I think the best thing is to always put your mouth where God puts it, if you don't want to be disgraced." Okojie said

Awwww, a woman who is married to her dream man, the love of her life! Too sweet...:-)

Kanye bought a tiny replica of his Batmobile-styled Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 for his six months old daughter, North West, as a Xmas gift. The child-size electric version of the rare $750,000 black supercar car is said to be worth thousands of dollars. A car North can't ride for years to come. Kim posted the pic above on instagram yesterday, with the caption ''Like father like daughter''.

Music producer, Olumide Aka, popularly known as ID Cabasa, the guy who produced 9ice's mega hit debut album, is reportedly now a pastor. He was ordained today at Global Impact Church, Babs Animashaun, Surulere.

According to a list put together by Nigeria Entertainment Today, these are the 12 biggest artists of 2013. See below and see if you agree with them... 2013 was a very big year for Nigerian music and quite a number of artistes lived up to expectation. We're talking sold-out shows, monster singles, European tours and endorsement deals. NET presents the 12 biggest artistes of 2013. 1. Wizkid 2. Davido 3. P-Square 4. Tiwa Savage 5. D'banj 6. Iyanya 7. Olamide 8. Flavour 9. Kcee 10. Femi Kuti 11. Ice Prince 12. 2face Idibia What do you think of this list? Any name missing for you?

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has approved the procurement of 120 new vehicles of various brands for traditional rulers in the state. The state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Ademorin Kuye, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Lagos. The commissioner, who said the vehicles would be purchased in 2014, noted that they would enable the traditional rulers to discharge their responsibilities effectively. "Already, the 120 vehicles have been provided for in the 2014 budget and these would add to the over 30 vehicles that we have provided in the current year. "These vehicles speak of the commitment of the state government toward improving the welfare of traditional rulers in the state and empowering our Obas to serve their people, '' he said. Kuye also told NAN that the state government was renovating palaces and building some new ones to strengthen the traditional institution and improv

BEIJING (AFP) – China Saturday formally adopted a reform of its one-child policy to allow couples to have two children if either parent is an only child, state media reported. The measure was passed by the country’s top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the Xinhua news agency said

MANILA (AFP) – More than 160 people have been injured by fireworks in the Philippines as they prepared to welcome the New Year, the government said Saturday. A 14-year-old boy who lost his right hand and an elderly man with a ruptured eyeball were among the worst injured so far, Assistant Health Secretary Eric Tayag said. He tweeted that a five-year-old had also lost his right index finger from using fireworks. The Asian nation of 100 million people traditionally greets the New Year by making noise in the belief it will drive bad spirits away. Households start stockpiling fireworks around Christmas and start using them days before New Year’s Eve. Apart from fireworks, gun owners are another seasonal hazard as they fire their weapons in the air to celebrate Christmas and New Year. Tayag said government hospitals had tallied 164 firework injuries in the runup to New Year’s Eve, plus one case of a firecracker being swallowed. “Active fireworks users (are) up by eight percent this y

The North has asked President Goodluck Jonathan to explain who he was waiting for before taking action to bring officials of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration to book over political killings which he (Jonathan) said were the order of the day when Obasanjo held sway as the head of government in the country. It also insisted that the next president of Nigeria, must emerge from the area, pointing out that President Jonathan must stand down  for  their own in 2015. The northern groups, Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, made these known at two separate  interviews with Saturday Vanguard yesterday. Reacting to a letter from Obasanjo, alleging that the President had placed 1000 people on watch list, Jonathan had in turn placed political killings in the country on the door steps of the former President. Jonathan replied Obasanjo’s  18-page open letter dated 2, 2013, to him, pointing out that all the political killings since the Fourth R

Before the airplane mishap that involved Sosoliso and Bellview Airlines in 2005, Prophet Babatunde Ayodele, Founder/Spiritual Head of Inri Evangelical Church, Lagos, warned the aviation sector but was unheeded. Now, while everyone looks forward to raising the curtain on 2014 in a couple of days, Ayodele has again reeled out predictions ahead of 2014, imploring Nigeria to take cover in prayers. Economy Concerning the year 2014, I will advise every Nigerian to take time and be prayerful for the country and for themselves from the 1st to 3rd of January, 2014. This is for God to prevent imminent dangers ahead of the nation and economy. Let us take it from here. I don't see anything happening in the Nigerian economy. I see debts everywhere- our crude oil, foreign reserve, and all. States will be in debt, the Federal Government will be in debt and Nigeria will be planning to go borrow money. So, the government has to be very careful not to be grinded by these debts.   Prices of

Fresh violence broke out among the people of Oba- Ile and Oba-Oke in Olorunda Local Government Area of Osun State on Friday. There were counter claims about how the fresh trouble started but a source within Oba-Oke told our correspondent on the telephone that some youths in Oba- Ile invaded Oba-Oke and beat up some people. This was said to have angered the people of Oba-Oke who mobilised and stormed Oba-Ile for revenge. But Oba-Ile residents claimed that the people of Oba-Oke started the trouble. The disagreement, it was learnt led to a fierce fight where weapons were freely used by both sides. Scores of residents from both sides were said to have been injured in the ensuing melee. A resident, who fled the scene, told our correspondent that policemen had been deployed to the two communities to bring the situation under control. It was not immediately known if there was any loss of life in the clash but some residents of the two towns expressed apprehension on the conditions of some of

Police in India say 10 men are in custody, after a 21-year- old woman was raped by two apparently unrelated groups of men on Christmas Eve.She was visiting friends in Pondicherry when she was abducted by three men and raped by one of them, officials say.She found her friends after that ordeal but they were all confronted by another group of men who singled her out and gang-raped her, according to police.The last suspect was arrested on Friday and police say they have confessed.The suspects have been remanded for 15 days, but they are yet to be formally charged in court. None of the suspects has publicly commented on the allegations made against them by the victim.Pondicherry Senior Superintendent of Police Monika Bharadwaj told the BBC that this was a particularly bizarre and brutal sequence of events.It comes just days before India marks the first anniversary of the death of the student whose gang-rape on a bus in Delhi sparked unprecedented public outrage, leading to changes in India

The 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. The Presidency further dared the governor to prove his allegation. The governor, who spoke to Saturday PUNCH through his Chief of Staff, Government House, Chief Tony Okocha, in Port Harcourt, on Thursday, said that he was waiting for the invitation of the National Human Rights Commission. Obasanjo had, in a letter dated December 2, 2013, accused Jonathan of putting 1,000 people on a watch list and having a killer-squad. Obasanjo had also accused the President of training snipers. The President has denied these all

The Lagos State Police Command on Friday arrested Kaveh Noine, a manager with Toppan Printing Company, who allegedly kicked his pregnant subordinate, Alexandra Ossai, in the stomach two weeks ago, causing her to lose her pregnancy. PUNCH Metro had, on Tuesday, exclusively reported that Noine, a Lebanese, travelled out of the country when policemen attached to the Area F Police Division initially went to the company, to invite him for questioning. Following the publication, President Goodluck Jonathan, had on Friday directed that the police and the National Human Rights Commission investigate the matter, expressing his displeasure over the incident. However, Saturday PUNCH gathered that Noine was arrested on Friday by the Lagos State Police Command in Kano where he had fled to on Friday and brought him back to Lagos. The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Ngozi Braide, confirmed the story. She said, "Even before President Goodluck Jonathan ordered an investigation into th

Ogun State Police Command has said that  it did not have the record of attack on a  chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun State , Chief   Kushimo Lukmon who was  reporte The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi in a statement,   yesterday said the command was disappointed in the victim for his failure to report the incident at the police station. The victim had told newsmen that   a gang of six men invaded his residence at 5, Famuyiwa close, Surulere, Ita-Eko, Abeokuta, around 1:am on Monday and threatened to kill him if he did not drop his ambition for Ogun state House of Assembly. But, reacting to the incident the PPRO said, "the command is taken aback to read the said story in the paper as we do not have record of such incident. The Command considers   such publication an unnecessary alarm geared towards getting cheap popularity and malign the integrity of the security agencies of Ogun state. "The victim is expected to repor

The Obasayero of Oyo Empire, Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has appealed to traditional rulers in the country to rise up to the immediate challenges facing the country to Mallam Yuguda further stressed that unless royal fathers rescue the nation, the challenges of oil theft, insecurity and mutual distrust along ethnic and religious lines are potent enough to disintegrate the nation sooner than optimists thought. Yuguda who spoke at an audience with the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi opined that it was high time for, "traditional leaders across the country to put heads together to help find a lasting peace in the country. "Political leaders are your followers and will accept your input as royal fathers to guarantee peace, harmony and love among NIgerians so that the country can move forward. "The country is in dire need of royal leadership especially now that we are faced with challenges of oil theft, corruption, security and division along ethnic and religious l

Tragedy struck yesterday on the Bayelsa State stretch of the East-West road as three The accident occurred at about 10.10am some distance away from the popular Zarama junction market on the Mbiama-Zarama axis of the East West road. The vehicles involved in the crash were Toyota Sienna car with registration number BJ 292 BWR and Toyota Hiace passenger bus with plate number YA 820 AAA owned by ABC Motors. The deceased persons, all male, were in the passenger bus and were burnt beyond recognition while eleven others sustained serious injuries. The ill-fated transport bus it was learnt was coming from Warri in Delta State and heading to Calabar in Cross River State when it crashed into the Toyota Sienna vehicle in front of it conveying a family of eight. Though the family of eight escaped unhurt, three of the occupants in the passenger bus were not that lucky as they were burnt to ashes in the inferno that engulfed the bus. Eyewitnesses told this reporter who visited the scene of the crash

Indigenes of Odi community in Kolokuma-Opokuma local government area of Bayelsa State The protesters made up of the community youths, old women and men were armed with placards highlighting their plight and recalling the atrocities meted to their defenceless population by the Nigerian military over a decade ago. Saturday Vanguard learnt that the protest was also to commemorate the 13th anniversary of the military invasion which left Odi, one of the biggest communities in Ijawland in rubles in the wake of the killing of some policemen by some hoodlums. The indigenes of the community said they were forced to take their protest to the busy federal highway which straddled the states of the South South   zone due to the continued refusal of the federal government to obey the court order to pay their community the sum of N37.6bn for the injustice visited on its population by the Nigerian military. It took the intervention of the police to prevail on the protesters to vacate the busy road and

HARD times await thousands of patients at the University College Hospital, UCH, Ibadan as Already, they have given a four-day ultimatum to the management to settle the unpaid wages after the expiration of the earlier one on December 19, 2013. While calling for immediate and prompt action from the management of the hospital to avoid unnecessary suffering of the patients, the consultants under the auspices of the Medical and Dental Consultants' Association who have not gone on strike on local issues for the past 56 years, said they had not participated in any previous strikes in the health sector because of the importance of their services. According to the medical association which spoke through its chairman, Prof. Juwon Tunde Arotiba said once they go on strike, there would be total paralysis of medical services which could be very dangerous for the patients. Prof. Arotiba who was flanked by the Acting Secretary, Dr. Victor Makanjuola further said, "the consultant

One person was reportedly killed yesterday in Onitsha while 10 others sustained various degrees of injuries during a clash between the police and members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB. According to an eye witnes, trouble started when a motorist was allegedly flagged down along the Onitsha/Owerri Road in Onitsha by a police team on surveillance and as he obeyed, argument reportedly ensued between the motorist and the police. The MASSOB members around,  who have been controlling the traffic since the yuletide season began, felt they should come to the rescue of the man and reportedly intervened. The action, it was learnt, led to heated argument which resulted in  a cladh between MASSOB and police which resulted in the death of one MASSOB member instantly. Consequently, the MASSOB members in anger barricaded the ever-busy Onitsha / Owerri road for two hours and made bonfire with fairly used tyres, forcing traffic flow to divert to

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mallam Lamido Sanusi will proceed on retirement leave effective April 1st 2013, two months to the end of his tenure. It would be recalled that President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua nominated Sanusi as Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria on June 1, 2009 and his appointment was confirmed by the Senate on June 3, 2009. Hence his five year tenure is scheduled to end on June 3rd 2014. CENTRAL Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi Contrary to speculations that he has been forced to immediately procede on retirement leave, Saturday Vanguard investigations revealed that Sanusi will still be CBN Governor till March 31st. Though, when contacted, Director of Corporate Communications, Mr. Ugo Okoroafor said he was not aware of the CBN Governor being forced to proceed on retirement leave, a highly placed regulatory official, who pleaded anonymity confirm that Sanusi is scheduled to proceed on terminal leave after March 31st. He however sa

The secret of my success is originality. Right from day one, I knew that if I try to be original, the sky  would be my limit. But I  know it's going to take some time before that dream would become a reality.   This is because nothing good comes that easily. [*Flavour] I  work  so hard to sound so original in my music.  Right from when I released  my first album, there has been a tremendous improvement in  my music. And this time around, I had enough  funds to do better videos which has distinguished my style from other artistes.  Africans as a whole love originality, even though some might pretend about it . If you are original in whatever you are doing today coupled with being down-to- earth, you will get to anywhere you want to. That  has been the secret of my success. I began my career as a drummer for a local church in my  home state,  Enugu State. What  has actually kept you going till today ? Having passion for what I'm doing. I have so much passion for music. I started

The Bauchi State Command of the Federal Road Safety Commission FRSC says it recorded a total of 197 deaths out of 286 autocrashes from the month of January to November, 2013. The State Sector Commander of the commission, Mr Sunday Henry Olatunji made this known yesterday during a special operation tagged "a suaka Lafiya", which commenced from December  19, 2013 to January  2, 2014. An accident scene in Lagos. According to  the Sector Commander, "the Special operation was an initiative of the commission to ensure safety of lives during the festive season and arrest drivers who commit traffic offences such as overspeeding,overloading,use of mobile phones while driving and invalid driving documents. The commission embark on such special operations several times in a year to instill the culture of safety in drivers and passengers" He said," the commission recorded a total number of 1,203 casualities from 286 autocrashes for the year 2013. Out of the c

A member of the Federal House of Representatives, Mr Rasaq Bello-Osagie, yesterday, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently on "intensive care" and stand no chance in winning as the the party is fighting a lost battle with Nigerians. The All Progressive Congress (APC) lawmaker who is representing Oredo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, declared this in a 3-day event at his constituency office, where he reeled out his achievements to members of his constituency. According to him, "from what we are seeing now, the PDP as a party in my opinion is still existing through an oxygen. It is in the intensive care unit. By the time a man begins to lose his hand and his leg, then your eye, very soon you will have no nose to breath then what are we talking about. I think it is a question of time. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, said People's Democratic Party, PDP, is fighting a lost battle with Nigerians "What is going on today is a war betwee

Within 10 months of its commencement of academic activities, Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo state has introduced 16 new academic programmes verified and approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC). Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof. Valentine Aletor said this at the weekend during  the matriculation of 214 students of the Institution. Prof Aletor said that the curricular of the programmes were designed to meet the specific needs of the society. This according to him are in the industrial,technological and socio- economic domains. He said the university kick started with 64 students admitted into two facukties of basic and Applied Sciences and Humanities and Management Sciences. The VC added that 214 candidates have registered in three faculties which include faculty of Engineering. Basic and Applied Sciences and Humanities and Management Sciences. He told the matriculating students that the institution has zero tolerance for cultism, drug , exami

Following the controversies generated by the open letter from Olusegun Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Network of Progressive Activists, (NPA) has expressed deep worry that if the issue is left unarrested, the brewing diatribe which is already over-heating the polity could boil over and lead to unimaginable consequences. In view of this, NPA opined that the former President should tender an unreserved apology to the incumbent for peddling falsehood and desecrating the office of the President and Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces, of the Federal Republic. In a statement made available to Saturday Vanguard, the Coordinator and National Secretary of NPA, Timothy Ademola Simon Imobo-Tswam said, " The former President Olusegun Obasanjo should apologize to President Jonathan and the people of Nigeria for peddling falsehood and desecrating the office of the President and Commander in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria. We note that despite Gene

The Nigerian Army Headquarters yesterday announced a major posting of its senior officers, which saw Major General John Kwabe as the Chief of Logistics, Defence Headquarters; Major General Ugo Buzugbe, Commander Nigerian Army Armoured Corps; and Major General Ebiobowei Awala, as the Military Secretary (Army). Others affected by the posting according to Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Ibrahim Attahiru in a statement in Abuja, include Major General Olufemi Adeosun, who is now Director, Policy Defence Headquarters; Major General John Nwaoga, General Officer Commanding 3 Division; Major General Chris Olukolade, Director Defence Information; Major General Sunday Adebayo, Commander Nigerian Army Education Corps and Major General Mohammed Idris, Commandant Nigerian Defence Academy. Also affected are Major General Mobolaji Koleoso, now Director, Armed Forces Simulation Centre; Major General Letam Wiwa, Director Military Intelligence; Major General Patrick Akem, Director Lega

* If ur vaginal smell musky, Its probably as a result of sweating nd stress - e.g, exercise. Take ur bath. * If it smells like a fish, greenish discharge + foul odoul - its trichomoniasis. See ur doctor. * Always make sure not to wear too tight fitting undies and trousers * If it smells like bread + discharge dat looks like cottage chesse, u probably gt yeast infection. * Sleep pantless

A Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday, fixed December 30 to decide the fate of a Briton, Gareth Wilcox, and four others, charged with N15 billion fraud. Wilcox, a former Managing Director of Ibom Power Company and LYK Engineering Company, is standing trial alongside Prince Johnson Adebami and Uche Uwechia, on a 21-count charge. Adebami is a former Managing Director of the defunct Gulf Bank Plc, while Uwechia is a former legal adviser to the bank. Also charged with the accused are Ibom Power Company and LYK Engineering Company, owned by Wilcox. The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusa, fixed the date after counsel representing the accused had respectively moved their application for the bail of their clients. Counsel to the first accused, Mr Samuel Oshodi, in adopting his bail application, urged the court to admit the accused to bail on liberal terms. Oshodi argued that the fundamental right and liberty of the accused were lready at stake, since he had been detained at the Special Fra

AN outreach partnership pro-gramme anchored by Reverend Samuel Akpan-Isong of Champions for Christ Chapel Asaba and Architect Oputa Ajie has brought succour to widows, less-privileged and victims of last year's flood in Aboh, Ndokwa east local government area of Delta State. Bags of rice and other food items including exercise books and writing materials were donated to the widows and school children including victims of last year's flood. Reverend Samuel Akpan-Isong told the gathering that "today, we are on the reach out partnership programme in Aboh. The Outreach partnership programme is an on-going thing. And we believe with the process of time it shall be extended to other areas of the State and beyond. "Our intention is to bring succour to some disadvantaged persons in addition to the pulpit ministry towards creating a sense of hope for them. Many families were rendered homeless by the rampaging flood of the previous year. The federal and state government did

Nigeria Security And Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, Lagos State Command, has said no fewer than 150 suspected vandals were arrested in the state within the past 10 months just as he urged Lagosians to report any act of vandalisation of government property during the Yuletide period. Giving the account of his 10 months stewardship in Lagos, the State Commandant Adesuyi clement, also said the suspects were involved in vandalisation of some critical government infrastructures such as petroleum pipelines, electrical and telecommunication facilities. According to him, some of the suspects have been prosecuted while others are still under investigation as the vandalised products recovered from them were handed over to appropriate authorities. Also, the Commandant said about 50 private guards companies were sealed within this period as they were discovered to be operating illegally within the metropolis. ''The Command has equally sealed over ten companies who defaulted in paying their ann

Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State on Friday warned traders, especially auto dealers to stop making sections of the highways their showrooms. Fashola gave the warning when he inaugurated the reconstructed Kodesho Road and Simbiat Abiola Way in Ikeja. The governor said trading constricted the roads thereby causing traffic gridlock and great inconveniences to users. He stressed that staying too long in the gridlock had serious health implications as it could lead to accidents, hypertension and stress. "As we hand over these roads, I think we need to talk to ourselves. "We build roads to let us get to our businesses; our places of work quickly and to make movement easier. "But some residents covert the roads to places they trade and as long as we continue to trade on them, we defeat the purpose for which they were built. "As long as we turn our roads to shopping malls where everybody buys in traffic, we all pay the price because you all know that such causes stress

After just seven months of marriage, one of Nigeria's best comediennes Princess Dammy, real name Damilola Adekoya, has separated from her husband, movie producer/director Adeshola Jeremiah. The NET reports that the couple started having problems just two weeks after their wedding in May 2013 and officially split a few months ago after a series of efforts to mend the broken marriage failed. Confirming the split, Princess Dammy told Thenet,ng "Yes my marriage has ended due to irreoncilable differences. We have been having issues since the wedding but we still remained together hoping that we would be able to work it out. But apparently, we couldn't work it out, hence the reason for our separation. We actually ended it several months ago, but we didn't want to make it public. I'm sure God knows best'

A message from Mercy Johnson-Okojie 2013 has been an incredible year for me. I couldn't ask for more. It is one year I won't forget in a hurry. My fans were amazing. They stood by me and took on my fight. The critics played their parts too. I took the constructive ones, made adjustment and became a better person. How can I forget 2013, the year I had the honour of being the most searched Nollywood actress for the third consecutive year. I am most grateful to the fans who worked the keyboard or keypad reading about me online. I am grateful to my team, the media and management company, Bigsam Media that became like sponge, wiping away the negative past and soaking in the future. I am most grateful. Social media, Twitter most especially, played significant role in reaching out directly. The teaming fans on Twitter and other platforms, this is for you; thank you for loving, tolerating and being there for me. Gentlemen of the press contributed in no small measure to my year,

Tomorrow, Saturday, Dec 28, 2013 Terry G, Wizkid, Sean Tizzle, Wande Coal and Reminisce will do a battle of sort at Koga's One Night Stand. The event that has been themed Hot & Raw The mainland concert that has enjoyed wide followership among party and fun faithful on Mainland will play host to more than one major artistes for the first time. Continue... One Night Stand has always played host to one major artiste and host of other grade B stars but this December 2013 edition will be playing host to more than four certified major artistes that will be trying to outdo one and other in terms of stage craftsmanship. The five major acts are popular on the street with songs that have become street anthems of sort but there's has never been a time where the five acts will be gracing same stage. Wande is a mentor of sort to Wizkid, tomorrow will witness a scene where the protege will be trying to outdo the mentor. Terry G on the other hand will be trying to further rein in his s

**Gov. Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State on Friday presented a budget of N107.4 billion for the 2014 Appropriation Act to the state House of Assembly. Tagged "Budget of Restoration", the governor said it was made up of a recurrent expenditure of N43.5 billion and N63.8 billion capital expenses. According to him, the budget is based on an estimated recurrent revenue of N50.8 billion and capital receipts of N55.8 billion, with an anticipated budget deficit of N678 million. Based on the budget breakdown, the recurrent revenue comprises N6.3 billion as internally generated revenue; N35 billion from statutory allocation and N2.5 billion share of excess crude oil. The governor said the state expected a receipt of N1 billion each from its share of exchange rate gains and Nigeria National Petroleum Company, while N5 billion was expected from budget augmentation and other sources in the fiscal year. On recurrent expenditure of N43.5 billion, Dankwambo said N14.6 billion was allocated f