Naija Talk Show & Gossip, Nigeria Nollywood

Lagos-TWO pastors were Tuesday arraigned before a Surulere Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, charged with alleged fraud of N840, 000. The two, Franklyn Anaba (49) and Bassey Ekong (39), pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge of conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretence and stealing. The prosecutor, Inspector Raji Akeem, told the court that Anaba and Ekong, both residents of No. 1 Aderibigbe St., Ikate, Surulere, in November 2011 collected the money from one Emeka Okeke under the false pretence of procuring accommodation for him. The prosecutor said that the offence contravened Sections 285, 419 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State.  Magistrate A. O. Gbajumo granted the defendants N200,000 bail each with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till March 14 for mention.

AKURE – The Police in Akure, Tuesday, arraigned a 28-year-old woman, Folashade Babatunde before an Akure Senior Magistrate’s Court for allegedly pouring faeces on a female banker. The accused, a trader and Higher National Diploma student at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo in Ondo State was docked before Mrs Rabi Abdulahi on a two-count charge of act likely to cause breach of the peace and assault. Babatunde was accused of pouring faeces on one Agnes Olasehinde, a 27-year-old banker with the First Bank Plc, Alagbaka branch, Akure. The offence, according to the Police Prosecutor, ASP Ayodele Atandeyi, was allegedly committed on February 24, about 12.30 p.m. at the First Bank Plc, Alagbaka branch, Akure. She was accused of conducting herself in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace by bringing into the banking hall a can containing faeces. This, the police said constituted an offence contrary to and punishable under section 249 of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol. I laws of...

Creator of popular old TV drama, The Masquerade,  James Iroha, popularly known as ‘Giringori’, passes on at 70, write JAYNE AUGOYE and MAUREEN AZUH After a long battle with glaucoma, veteran actor and creator of the popular television drama series, The Masquerade, James Iroha, has passed on. The artist popularly called Giringori, based on the role he played in the drama, died in the early hours of Tuesday, according to his son, Uche. Although Iroha suffered blindness that kept him at home for years, Uche said he had high blood pressure. He, however, noted that the cause of the death had more to do with old age.  Uche, who noted that the father died in a private hospital in Onitsha, Anambra State, said Giringori was in high spirits to the point of his death. The son, a visual artist, told one of our correspondents on the phone on Tuesday evening, ‘He talked and joked with everyone yesterday. My father was always his same comic person.” Although he conceded tha...

Tragedy struck in Ikere-Ekiti on Tuesday as the back of a trailer detached, hit an abandoned tanker and crushed a 27-year-old graduate selling roasted yam. Although the lady was rescued and taken to a hospital immediately after the accident, she later died after about two hours. The lady, Busayo Akogun, a graduate of College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, was said to be assisting her mother at a roadside kiosk when the accident occurred.  Her mother was also said to have been crushed against the wall of a filling station and sustained a serious injury. One of the eyewitnesses, Mr. Adekunle Olowolafe, said the legs of the mother were crushed. Blood stains were seen in the rubble while personal effects of the victims littered the scene when our correspondent visited the area. But the grill and the local oven on which the lady and her mother were roasting the yam were still standing while the roasted yams were well set on the grill. Policemen and officials of the Federal R...

There was pandemonium between 7:00am and 10:00am at Poly-Gate Bus Stop along Muritala Muhammed Road, Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday as drivers and students clashed over luxury buses provided by the Federal Government to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal. The Kwara State Government had announced that two luxury buses out of the buses made available to the state would be plying from Post Office Junction to Kwara Poly. But on Thursday, the state government deployed six more buses in the area. However, the commercial drivers, who have been plying the route before the palliative buses were introduced, opposed the introduction of more buses saying it would affect their source of income. The students and other passengers, who had gathered as early as 7:00am at Poly Gate Bus Stop, were surprised that the commercial drivers prevented the luxury buses, being managed by Safetrip Limited, to convey them to their destinations. Angered by the development, the students pursued t...

 Umar Bonjiji on his hospital bed Gory  From PAUL ORUDE, Bauchi At the moment, Mallam Umar Bonjiji, a farmer at Bonjiji village near Inkil in Bauchi Local Government Area of Bauchi State is in deep pain. He was tossed in the path of sorrow when two men, who met him in his farm wrecked his life and bolted. They shattered his world by forcefully plucking his two eyes and four teeth before disappearing into the woods.  After committing the act, they left him with battered hands, legs and bruises all over his body. And now, only God knows if he will survive his painful ordeal.  It all started when Umar went to the bush to fetch some rafters to roof his house. Sadly, he chose to go alone that day.  He had cut some pieces of wood without any hitch but what he didn’t know was that danger was lurking in the corner.  He was arranging the pieces of wood that he had cut and getting ready to go home when all like a flash, two men emerged from the woods,...

 By Christopher Oji Hell was let loose in Ejigbo and Mafoluku areas of Lagos State yesterday, as street urchins popularly called ‘Area Boys’ unleashed violence.  In the melee, four persons were feared killed and over 50 people injured. About 20 vehicles were vandalized during the clash by the factional gangs, who were fighting over toll collection at a plank bridge linking Ajao Estate with Ejigbo area of the state.  Over100 houses were also raided by the hoodlums during the free-for-all as they cashed in on the crisis to rob residents of the areas.  Lagos has recorded an upsurge of gang clashes in recent times, which had claimed about 50 lives. Affected areas include Lagos Island, Palmgrove, Iyana Ipaja and Obalende.  Trouble started on Monday night when a member of a faction of the street urchins, who was collecting N10 toll from pedestrians crossing from Ajao Estate to Ejigbo, had a disagreement with an Igbo man simply identified as Chukwuma. ...

— The personal emolument of President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Namadi Sambo, will henceforth to be taxed under the new Personal Income  ABUJA Tax, PIT, Act 2011 (Amended). Also to be taxed are state governors and their deputies. President Goodluck Jonathan (middle); Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State (left) and Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State during President Jonathan's stop-over at Warri Airport enroute Bayelsa State to inspect the explosion on Chevron platform, yesterday. Photo: Henry Unini. Under the new law, members of the public who earn N3.2 million and above per annum are also to pay as high as 24 per cent as tax to the government. On the other hand, low income earners who receive less than N300,000 per annum could pay only  one per cent in the new tax regime, according to Chairman of Joint Tax Board, JTB, and Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, who briefed the press in Abuja, yest...

Kaduna – A housewife in Badarawa area of Kaduna State is seeking clarification for divorce from the Sharia Court, due to persistent ridiculing and harassment by her husband because of her inability to get pregnant. Maimuna Ibrahim had told the court that Alkasim Ibrahim, her husband had sent her away to her parents for failing to conceive nine months after marriage. She sued Ibrahim, 26, for ridiculing her and for always referring to her as “barren.” She also told the court that her husband had in addition to humiliating her, sent her back to her parents for them to get concoction for her to be pregnant. Maimuna said she was in the court for redress as well as to know whether she could seek for divorce based on her husband’s action. Ibrahim, however, denied sending her back to her parents and also denied her claimed that he was tired of living with her. He urged the court to save his marriage by giving him time to reconcile with his wife. The Presiding Officer, Malam Ib...

Idris on his hospital bed ...As expert offers panacea to motorbikes’ menace  By TESSY IGOMU He seemed lost in thought and oblivious to the chaos around him. As he reclined on his bed with a heavily bandaged right leg hanging on a sling, it was apparent he was in excruciating pain.  He was suddenly jolted out of his sad reverie by the reporter’s emphatic greeting. With a sad, expressionless look that spoke volumes about the turmoil that had virtually engulfed his soul, the young man stared at the reporter and apologized.  “Sorry, are you talking to me? Please forgive me. Sit down,” he said, and pushed a metal chair by his bedside towards the reporter.  This is Badmus Idris, an electrician in Mowe, Ogun State. He is at the moment a patient at the Male Ward of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi.  His personal effects that include a plastic bucket, sponge, travelling bag, plates and spoons, were clear indications that he was not new to the he...

Of course Gwyneth Paltrow would wear a cape to the Academy Awards. After all, there's nothing this Oscar-winning, GOOP-spouting superwoman can't do. Heck, she's even robbed us of the chance to use Edna Mode's "No capes!" cri de coeur from "The Incredibles" as a punchline, because we (grudgingly) adore her modern, all-white Tom Ford ensemble. Gwyneth went just as sparingly elegant on her makeup and accessories, nixing earrings and a necklace in favor of a statement ring and a sparkly cuff that Wonder Woman would gladly trade her Lasso of Truth and star-spangled bustier to possess.

 Scenes from Abuja

By MATTHEW DIKE There was pandemonium in Ajegunle, a Lagos suburb, at the weekend after suspected native thunderbolt popularly known as magun in the local parlance, struck a man during sex romp with an alleged married woman, in a hotel.  The victim, Alaska (not real name) was alleged to have lodged in a hotel in the Aiyetoro area of Ajegunle for a short period with the woman, unknown to him that `death was lurking around the corner.  They were said to be having fun when death came knocking. Alaska was said to be gasping for breath and suddenly flung himself thrice on the ground.  His partner allegedly alerted the hotel attendant about the sudden occurrence in the hotel room.  A man who identified himself as Lekan disclosed that immediately the hotel attendant walked into the room to see the victim, the woman vanished into thin air.  Lekan said he learnt that the woman and the victim, who was identified as a carpenter at Bale Aiyetoro Street, had been da...

 From JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja President Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated former President Shehu Shagari on his attainment of the age of 87.  In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, Jonathan described the former president as ‘an elder statesman who has continued to make his wisdom and vast experience available to the nation,’ adding that Nigeria has benefitted immensely from his selfless contributions.  He said President Shagari’s exemplary support for peace and national development was commendable and worthy of emulation by all well-meaning citizens. He prayed for continued good health and long life for President Shagari.

One of the features of the last minute preparations for the burial of the Ezeigbo Gburugburu and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, is the construction of a marble-coated mausoleum, which has been designated as the final resting place for the late Igbo leader.  The edifice, has an aluminium roof and a prominent stained glass design.  From the front, flowers have been planted to beautify the aisle leading to the crypt, while the sides are equipped with two windows each.  Work on Ojukwu’s final resting place, which began about seven weeks ago, is almost completed and ready for decoration by the family and the burial committee.  The mausoleum, which is about three feet away from the main family house of the Igbo leader, will measure about six feet deep and eight feet across. Sunday Sun reports that this may not leave the visitor or tourist much space to have a clearer view of the mausoleum as the use of space is being maximized by the family. ...

 •Four killed in reprisal attack  •Jonathan flays bombing, retaliation  From MARIAM ALESINLOYE AGBOOLA, Jos and JULIANA TAIWO-OBALONYE, Abuja The Auditorium of the Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) Headquarters bombed in Jos, Plateau State, Sunday. Call it God’s intervention; a massacre was yesterday averted during service when Boko Haram stormed a church premises in Jos, Plateau State.  But a worshipper, a baby, the bomber and his accomplice were killed. Four people also lost their lives in the reprisal attack.  Recall that Boko Haram owned up to the death of 45 parishioners when it attacked St. Theresa’s Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State on Christmas Day last year.  On the injured list are the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Hiljab Abraham and former Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Ezekiel Gomos. The bombers’ target is Church of Christ in Nigeria (COCIN) headquarters in the state capital.  Gov...

Award winning Nigerian film maker based in the United States, Odera Ozoka who recently breezed into the country to premiere his new  movie “Soul Diaspora”at the Ozone Cinema, Yaba, has  secured $400,000 from two private investors to begin shooting of  another film on Biafra titled “A forgotten place.” The shooting of the film will  commence early next year. Also, the young film maker will on Tuesday, February 28,  make history with the public presentation of  his book on President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformational agenda titled “Goodluck Jonathan Transformation Agenda: A Youth Perspective in American System.” The event is billed to take place, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Odera, who has already presented the book to Jonathan said “Mr. President likes the book, and he has promised to use it for one year anniversary.” Speaking on the idea behind the writing of the book, he said  “I was inspired to write this book as a means...

By IYABO AINA  She is a  former beauty queen and a wannabe musician. And her name is Sandra Ifudu. If her first name doesn’t ring a bell, the surname should rekindle old memories. She is niece to once controversial top pop female musician. Theodora Ifudu otherwise known as Dora Ifudu And like her Aunty Dora, who made waves in the late 80’s and early 90’s, Sandra wants to take the music industry by storm. Unlike Dora whom little was known about before her rise to stardom, Sandra was the local Catholic Church pearl in Asaba, Delta State where she grew up under the roof of an equally endowed musical family. “Apart from my Aunty Dora, my dad was also into music, only that, he didn’t take it up professionally”, Sandra, an English graduate of Madonna University in Anambra State reveals in this interview. Are you an actress or a musician? Both. But more of a musician, just like Whitney Houston. An observer may want to know why you chose to become a musician? Does it r...

By BENJAMIN  NJOKU  Three things brought Ruth Kadiri to the limelight; her flair for writing as well as her acting prowess. The third being her well-cherished relationship with one of the notable Nollywood producers, Stanley Ebonine. Their relationship crashed last year when the former got married to his beau, Dorathy Chinasa Agu, in a manner that left tongues wagging that he dumped the actress for the love of his life. But in this enagging interview, Ruth debunks  every insinuation that she was dumped by her ex-lover. Instead, she has vowed to continue to appreciate the immense contribution made to her life by the stylish producer. Hear her… You were in Umuahia, Abia State capital few weeks ago.  What were you doing there? Ruth Kadiri I travelled to Umuahia to do a production. The working title of the movie, which is being  produced by Chidi Chijioke is the Ultimate Search”, and it’s starring the likes of Jim Iyke, Tonto Dike, one Ghanaian actress, ...

Top actress Uche Jombo has gone digital as the first movie of her  “Damage Trilogy” started streaming live online since Thursday, February 23. Jombo has often championed the digital distribution of Nollywood movies online as a logical step in keeping up with the high demand for these movies within and outside the shores of the country. This is the latest of such internet-centric initiatives. “Damage”, a movie produced by Uche Jombo Studios is the first in a series of similarly themed trio of movies featuring, Tonto Dike, Kalu Ikeagwu, Basorge Tariah Jnr amongst other Nollywood stars. It  was shown all over the major cinemas across the country last year, as well as touring the UK and the United States of America. The actress has taken a major step by making it available for Nollywood lovers across the world  to watch the movie online. “Damage speaks about social issues that affect audiences around the world and putting the movie online means everyone can watch and ...

Top Nollywood actress Susan Ekwe  who attended the just concluded Berlin Film Festival, in Germany with other Nollywood practitioners nearly got trapped there, as  could not return to the country as scheduled last week, owing to an error that occurred on the part of German airline, Lufthansa. The  actress, HVP learnt left  the country for Germany shortly after finishing from the set of her latest movie,  “Complicated’, which features other stars including Patience Ozokwor (Mama G), Olu Jacobs, Juliet Ibrahim, Yemi Black, Emmanuel Mensah, and directed by Alex Mouth. Narrating her experience to an online media, Susan said “everything happens for a reason. Maybe, God is trying to save me. Every disappointment is a blessing. Lufthansa couldn’t do any better. They put me in a hotel with 3 meals. What else am I looking for? I thank God.” According to her, she left the country on the 9th of February for the festival. “I left Nigeria on the 9th of February and...

By Benjamin Njoku  Popular Nollywood director and producer, Nonso Ekene Okonkwo who is based in Asaba, Delta State capital, may need a divine intervention to save his hard earned reputation from being dragged to the mud. Our  scooped during the week that one of the up and coming actresses, Boma Tubonimi Arinyedokiari, also based in Asaba, has accused the popular director of extorting  the sum of  N105,000,00 from her, in addition to threatening to deal with her in the event of her backing out of the “a six- year contract which she  entered with him.” Narrating her ordeal to HVP on telephone, the light-complexioned actress, who hails from Rivers State  said  the director invited her to Asaba, on  the pretext that she was going to act in a new flick that was about to be shot then. But unknown to her that, the man had a different plan altogether. Surprisingly,she continued, ” upon my arriving Asaba,  the director told me I had to opera...

Abolore Adegbola Akande better known by his stage name 9ice has made his political intention known to all and sundry that by 2015, he would be going into politics. 9ice as he is called is a south-westerner from Ogbomosho in Oyo State but he grew up in the district of Bariga in Lagos. 9ice got his first break in March 2008 edition of the Hip Hop World Awards held in Nigeria, and won the Revelation of the Year award and the Best Male Vocal Performer. A month later at the first SoundCity Music Video Awards, 9ice was nominated in the category of Best New Artiste. 9ice’s biggest single is titled “Gongo Aso”. 9ice before his break in the entertainment industry was forced to drop out of school for lack of funds, but he is currently taking an online course in Public Administration at the Minneapolis-based Capella University. He planned to bag a law degree before the year 2015 in preparation for his political ambition. 9ice however did announce his intention to contest for the House o...

Flavour & Beverly Heels The rumour is making the rounds that Chinedu Okoli, whose stage name is Flavour N’Abania and Mr. Highlife as he is popularly referred to is close to tying the nuptial knot.   Flavour is alleged to have secretly engaged an upcoming US singer called “Beverly Hills”. Beverly Hills real name is yet unknown, but Matinee found out that she is a Nigerian and lives in a Nigerian community in the US. The rumour went further to say that Flavour in a telephone conversation asked ‘Beverly Hills’ hand in marriage on Valentine’s Day and that she gladly accepted. The rumour went further to disclose that the woman in question is also pregnant for our star and would be having his baby soon. It’s time for  busy bodies  on this issue to mind their own business, as our star  knows how and when to propose to the woman in his life . When and how he proposes to her  is his business.

One week after a 33, 000-litre fuel tanker fell and exploded at Mile 2 area of Lagos, the dust and emotion the tragedy raised have not settled. Indeed, transport stakeholders are still talking about it, while victims are counting their losses.  The petrol-laden tanker, with registration number XB370ATN, which was heading to Oshodi, from Orile axis, fell on its side that early morning. The spilled content exploded and caught fire.  Investigation showed that the lorry lost one of its tyres and in the process, the driver swerved into a pothole and the vehicle fell. Three people, Kazeem Gbadamosi, Saheed Ajetumobi and Ayinla Taoreed Alade, a father of two, were burnt to death in the ensuing fire. About 39 vehicles were razed.  Checks revealed that two of the victims, Gbadamosi and Ajetumobi, who stayed at Iyana Iba, off Lagos-Badagry expressway, closed for the day job, but could not go home due to traffic jam. The duo decided to pass the night inside their vehicles a...

Zina with baby Evil forces are controlling me – father By CHIOMA IGBOKWE For 24 years of her life, Zina had believed that her father abandoned her, from birth. When she could not live with the belief any longer, she persuaded her mother to take her home. The older women obliged. Such a reunion, as would be expected, is always emotional. And this one was. But it wasn’t for long. For the father, the emotional encounter turned into amorous craving.  So, the meeting, which was supposed to be a dream-come-true for the young lady, turned out to be a curse of some abominable type. Shortly after his daughter reunited with him, the father allegedly impregnated her. Zina, now 26 years old, claims to have a ten-month old son whose father is no other person than her own father (names withheld).  Zina said that her father was the first man to have carnal knowledge of her and that he usually hypnotized her anytime he wanted to make love.  She narrated her story this wa...