Naija Talk Show & Gossip, Nigeria Nollywood

Whitney Houston's brother says HE'S to blame for introducing the singer to drugs like crack cocaine back in the '80s ... not Bobby Brown ... and last night he came clean to Oprah. Michael Houston sat down with his mother Cissy and spilled his guts to Her Royal O-ness on "Oprah's Next Chapter" ... admitting he was the first person who did drugs with Whitney. Michael says he feels extremely guilty for Whitney's death - but says he didn't realize how deadly drugs could be when he first brought them to Whitney's doorstep ... explaining, "You gotta understand at the time ... the '80s ... it was acceptable." Houston adds, "It's painful ... I feel responsible for what I let go so far." Whitney died in Beverly Hills last February after a drug binge that included cocaine, Xanax and marijuana.

Some guys can really act blind when a fine-looking lady wants their attention, but there are ways to make a guy notice you without actually walking up to him. Blessing Ukemena writes. Getting his attention isn’t really easy, especially if you are an old school. You happen to be at a friend’s wedding or at the lecture room with your friends and there is this fine-looking guy you just wish would notice you. Well, that extra-fine hottie will be yours in no time and you won’t even have to talk to him! Letting him know that you’re available and interested without having to muster up the courage to have an awkward conversation, isn’t as hard as it seems. All you need is a few grand gestures, a sneaky attitude, and these easy tips that will surely get his attention. But this is not to suggest that you should be desperate for every fine guy you see. Throw a tantrum Scientific Fact: Guys find a girl who cries irresistable. Wait outside of his class, sit on the floor, and let the tears...

Carrot juice is rich in many nutrients and is easy to consume. A cup of carrot juice meets the daily requirements of the body. Avoid drinking more than one cup per day, as there is every possibility that it will cause skin colouration. Since carrot juice is high in natural sugars, diabetic patients should consult their doctor before consumption. You can also apply it directly on your skin to reduce blemishes. Before preparing carrot juice, always wash the carrots thoroughly and scrub them with a brush. You can also mix carrot juice with other fruits like oranges, bananas, blueberries, and so on to improve the taste. If you want to get maximum benefits of carrot juice, then drink the fresh juice and avoid bottled ones, since they contain preservatives and have less nutritional value. Ingredients 15 pieces carrot 150 ml water 1/3 cup sugar Preparation Wash the carrots. Peel and put the pulp into a blender. Grind with 100 ml water until it becomes liquid. Heat 1 cup of w...

It is said that only women are concerned with looking good, but most men are now taking an interest in how they appear in public. Blessing Ukemena gives some tips on men grooming. Women generally prefer the neat guy to the savage. But honestly, some men do not take care of themselves! It can be so annoying to stand close to a guy at the bus-stop and have to hold your breath, because of the odour oozing from his under-arms, or turn your face away when he talks because of his breath. Thankfully, some other men actually care for their looks, and some experts say that many of the same routines that  women have used for years are appropriate for men as well, who should also consider the best ways to handle their own, unique beauty needs. Here are some of those tips men should keep in mind: Shaving Dry shaving, using a dull blade, or shaving with too little cream, can scrape, burn and irritate skin. Loosen your beard with hot water. Then, apply a moisturiser before applying sh...

There are a staggering number of different cold viruses that can attack us - and our body cannot produce adequate defences to tackle each one. Colds are a predictable part of our lives - 90 per cent of us have at least one each year, with the average person battling two or three annually. There are a staggering number of different cold viruses that can attack us - and our body cannot produce adequate defences to tackle each one. These viruses attack the nose, sinuses, throat, and upper parts of the lungs. If any cold persists for more than 14 days, it is reasonable to assume that the virus has triggered sinusitis, or swelling in the sinuses - the air-filled passages behind the face. The symptoms of this are a blocked nose that still runs, facial pain or pressure, cough, tiredness and sometimes fever. Some patients suffer from a persistent dry cough, such as your husband’s. This is caused by dripping from the sinuses into the throat, causing irritation. Any cough that persis...

Scientists have identified molecular signals that control whether embryos are accepted by the womb, and that appear to function abnormally in women who have suffered repeated miscarriages The research, carried out at Imperial College London and the University of Warwick, suggests these signals could be targets for drugs that would help prevent miscarriage in women who are particularly vulnerable. At the start of pregnancy, the fertilised embryo must embed itself in the lining of the uterus. The uterus is only receptive to embryos for a few days in each menstrual cycle, ensuring that embryos can only implant at the right stage of development. Currently scientists know only a few details about the biological processes that control when an embryo can be implanted. In the latest study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers studied chemical signals produced by human cells, taken from the lining of the uterus and grown in the lab. They identified a key role for a molecul...

It is a favourite of parents and picnic-goers the world over. But new research suggests that eating hot meals on melamine crockery could actually be harmful to health. Taiwanese researchers have found that hot temperatures increase the amount of melamine we are exposed to - and this can increase the risk of kidney stones. They studied two groups of people who ate piping hot noodle soup. One group ate from melamine bowls, the other from ceramic bowls. Urine samples were collected before the meal, and every two hours for 12 hours following the meal. Three weeks later, the volunteers consumed the same kind of soup but the type of bowl they used was reversed. Urine samples were collected again. Total melamine levels in urine for 12 hours after eating the soup was 8.35 micrograms when the participants ate out of the melamine bowls versus about 1.3 micrograms when they ate out of ceramic bowls. Lead researcher by Chia-Fang Wu, of Kaohsiung Medical University in Taiwan, said: ...

A lack of deep restorative sleep in older people significantly contributes to memory loss, a new study has found. Getting a good night’s sleep has been linked to how well adults remember events the following day. But scientists found people in their 70s performed 55 per cent worse in a simple memory test than individuals in their 20s, even though they had the same hours of rest. Brain monitoring showed the quality of deep slumber, known as slow wave sleep, enjoyed by older participants was up to 75 per cent worse - with those getting the least deep sleep found to have the poorest recall. The study explains why older people’s memories do not benefit as much from sleep as younger individuals. Researchers suggest that by stimulating deeper sleep, it may be possible to boost memory maintenance in the elderly. They hope this could one day offer new treatments to help limit the effects of dementia, which affects more than 800,000 people in Britain. Professor Matthew Walker, pri...

In what appears to be anti-climax to a criminal trial, an Abuja High Court yesterday convicted and sentenced one of the accused persons in the N32.8 billion police pension scam, Mr. John Yakubu Yusufu, to two years imprisonment, but with a fine option of N750, 000 to regain his freedom. Justice Talba Mohammed delivered the judgement after Yusufu, who had earlier pleaded not guilty alongside his co-accused, changed his earlier stand and pleaded guilty on three counts out of the amended 20-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).  Yusufu, who was a former director in police pension department, pleaded guilty to counts 18, 19 and 20 where he was alleged to have connived with Mr. Essai Dangabar, Atiku Abubakar Kigo, Ahmed Inuwa Wada, Mrs. Veronica Ulonma, Sani Habila Zira, Mrs Uzoma Cyril Attang and Mr. Christian Madubuike to convert N24.2 billion, N1.3 billion and N1.7 billion respectively, belonging to the pension office to the...

A fire in a nightclub killed at least 245 people in southern Brazil, yesterday, when a band’s pyrotechnics show set the building ablaze and fleeing patrons were unable to find the emergency exits in the ensuing panic, officials said. According to the Associated Press (AP) news, the blaze in the southern city of Santa Maria was started when a band member or someone from its production team ignited a flare, which then set fire to the ceiling, said Luiza Sousa, a civil police official. The fire spread “in seconds,” she said. An estimated 500 people were in the Boate Kiss nightclub when the fire broke out early on Sunday, and many were unable to find the exits as dark smoke quickly filled the room. At least one exit was locked, trapping hundreds inside to die, many from asphyxiation as they inhaled smoke, police said. “When I looked around, all I saw were dead bodies lying on the floor. It was macabre,” survivor Taynne Vendrusculo told GloboNews TV. “It all happened so fast. Both...

An expelled 500 level student of Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna, Godwin Idoko who beheaded a 20 year old girl, Ramat Isah on New Year Day in Rafin Yashin, Bosso Niger State has told Minna Magistrate court that he beheaded the lady for refusing his request for sex after collecting his N2,500 as earlier bargained. Idoko who was arraigned in accordance with section 221 of the penal code of culpable homicide stunned the court after the Police First Information Report(FIR) was read to him when he suddenly said he had a complain against the deceased.   “I only stabbed her, I did not behead her. I paid her the sum of N2,500 to have sex with her. After collecting the money and I undressed myself and in the process of having sex, she grabbed and squeezed my manhood very hard. She also bite my hand to peel off my skin. Out of pain, I used a knife to stab her at the neck,” he declared. The presiding Chief Magistrate Mohammed Gimba Gabi reminded the accused of the magni...

We were not in doubt of Beauty Istifanus’ potential when we brought her to you in an interview in 2012, and today the former Miss UNIJOS is one of the most talked about beauty queens in the nation, having recently won the coveted Miss Ambassador for Peace Pageant. Istifanus speaks to LEADERSHIP Group Entertainment Editor Solomon Nda-Isaiah about the journey so far You’ve been involved in some philanthropic work recently prior to your winning the Miss Ambassador for Peace Pageant, tell us briefly about them? I have been involved in some peace mobilisation and peace education exercises. I also go to government schools to donate writing materials because I know that we can achieve peace through education and that is why I start from the grassroots. We are trying to educate our leaders of tomorrow. They need to know how peace is important in life and that having a good education will make you understand people around you.  Violence is caused by illiteracy and lack of under...

Following the news  that the Nigerian Broadcast Commission (NBC)  placed a NTBB ban on some new music videos recently, it was recently confirmed that the report  is false. According to the report, the banned videos include P Square (Alingo), Wande Coal (Go Low), Timaya (Bum Bum) and Flavour (Shake) for being ‘suggestive and provocative’. Others include D’Prince (Take Banana), Goldie (Ski Bobo), Chuddy K (Brazilian Hair) and Tillaman (Koma Roll). NBC the body responsible for the scrutiny of what is churned out to the public, NBC has denied banning any video. According to Mrs. Dorothy of NBC, “NBC doesn’t ban videos; we can only instruct them to remove it from being aired. We didn’t ban any musical video as we speak.” Also responding, Psquare’s publicist Bayo Adetu said, ‘We also just saw the story online this morning and we do not think that NBC’s ban is justifiable’. He also added that the ban would not make any difference since the video has already gone wo...

Justin Bieber went off on a woman at a gym in North Carolina last Tuesday mocking her workout, cussing at her and possibly even spitting in her water bottle. So claims the woman but Justin’s peeps say it’s all false.The woman behind the accusations is Colette Harrington, a NC radio host who claims she was minding her own business, working out at the gym at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. According to Colette, Bieber – who had a concert in Charlotte on Tuesday –strolled into the gym with two other people, one appeared to be his trainer and the other appeared to be a backup dancer or singer. Colette says she approached Bieber and asked for a picture, but JB said no. She says she continued working out, but then heard Justin and his posse mocking her workout routine. Colette explains, “I always count out loud my reps. Then Justin started imitating me and whenever I’d get to 20, he and his buddy would say ‘Shut the F’ck up.’” Colette says she ignored the group but claims they continued to m...

Reggae pop star Shaggy was not stabbed in a bar fight last week ... and he sure as hell not dead despite Internet reports to the contrary , this is according to a living, breathing Shaggy. Once again, the Internet death machine cranked out a rumour that Shaggy kicked the bucket after taking a shiv to the liver during a brawl in L.A..  In fact, someone even updated Shaggy’s Wikipedia page with bogus info. But lo and behold, Mr. Boombastic lives ... and it ain’t the first time he’s been the victim of a cyber-death hoax. It’s happened about a billion times before. A rep for the Reggae star said and  TMZ reports that  Shaggy is like a cat with 9 lives but I can happily report that he’s alive and kicking and in the same building as me right now as we speak.”Fantastic no longer bombastic.

Kenneth Okonkwo is a name to be reckoned with in Nollywood. He was brought to the limelight after featuring in the movie, ‘Living in bondage’, which also marked the turning point for the Nigeria movie industry.  In this interview with Uche Uduma, BODE GBADEBO and CHIBUNMA UKWU he talks about his life as an entertainer and a lawyer as well as the need for good governance in the country. You are an inspiration to many. Being a lawyer and an actor what was growing up like? Growing up was basically academics and entertainment. I come from a family that places a lot of premium on academics, for my father you must go to school. We also had the freedom to engage in any kind of sports we like. So my growing up was a football thing, it was a table tennis thing and it was an academic thing. My father was particularly interested in my academic life and I think he reaped a lot of dividends from that. By the grace of God by the age of 21, I had already graduated from the University of ...

Medview Air which was recently issued an Air Operator’s Certificates (AOC), yesterday made an air return on its Abuja bound flight from the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) with 74 passengers on board. Information gathered by our correspondent revealed that 15 minutes after take-off from the airport, there was a bang in one of the two engines of the Boeing 737-400, which prompted the pilot to quickly return to base. The incident led to panic among the  passengers onboard the aircraft. As at the time of filing this report, it was gathered that the aircraft engineers together with the safety officers of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority were working on the aircraft to ascertain the cause of the bang. Besides, when the aircraft finally made an air return to Lagos, some of the passengers who were previously onboard refused to travel with it while others agreed to be put on another aircraft of the airline already on ground at the tarmac. Speaking on the iss...

January 26 wass the birthday of popular actor and director, Muyiwa Ademola (aka Authentic). He was born in 1980. He is from Ibadan, Oyo State. He is a household name among lovers of Yoruba language films. Some of his movies include Ori, Ile, Apesin, Owo Okuta, and Iyo Aye.

Popular actress, Yvonne Okoro, will premiere her movie, Contract, in Lagos, at Silverbird Cinemas (Ikeja), on March 22. Contract was directed by Shirley Frimpong Manso, and it also stars South Africa’s Hlomla Dandala and Nigeria’s Joseph Benjamin. The Accra premiere of Contract took place on December 28, 2012.  Contract is the story of a successful 40-year old bachelor,  Peter Puplampo (Hlomla Dandala), who despite his mother’s persistent attempts to find him a woman, sticks to his rule of non-committal casual dates, freedom and being in control of his life, until the desire to have a child arises.

Rita Dominic, is on the cover of the January edition of Complete Fashion magazine. The magazine also has a feature on the actress, in which she discusses life, fashion, and her movie, The Meeting. The magazine has an insert, which features, Nollywood starlet, Beverly Naya modelling dresses from Re Bahia and Victoria Beckham.