“There is a blood cult in the aviation sector” – Full text of #YNaijaTwitterInterview with former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode

by Stanley Azuakola Consistent with our tradition of getting those who should know address the issues that matter to Nigerians at every point in time, we engaged Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, in an insightful #YNaijaTwitterInterview. The minister, who is not known for mincing words, had a lot to say about the... Read More

#YNaijaTwitterInterview, aviation, blood cult, Crash, Femi Fani-Kayode, Stell Oduah

June 17, 2012

SNAPSHOT: Congratulations, Uche! BellaNaija.com’s Editor gets married

by Hauwa Gambo Now, THIS is the authentic BellaNaija Wedding! Uche Eze, Editor-in-Chief of BellaNaija.com and chief executive of Bainstone Limited wed technology entrepreneur and son of a former Lagos deputy governor, Bode Pedro, in Lagos yesterday. God bless their union.

June 17, 2012

How Ojo Maduekwe got into the English Dictionary and more…in last week’s news with a pinch of salt

by Stanley Azuakola Ojo Maduekwe Gets Into English Dictionary Nigeria’s new Canadian ambassador, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, is going places. All over the world, his remarkable gift of being able to find his way into any government is being recognised and hailed. His latest appointment by President Jonathan as Nigeria’s ambassador to Canada is the 10th... Read More

Ambassadors, Bianca Ojukwu, bribe, david cameron, farouk lawan, Femi Otedola, Goodluck Jonathan, Ojo Maduekwe

June 16, 2012

Remove the soldiers from our streets: Borno Elders Forum cries out

by Adeniyi Abdul The Borno Elders forum has spoken out against the current conditions in the state, expressing their dissatisfaction at being made prisoners in their own land. In a speech by the Chairman of the forum, elder statesman and first minister of petroleum, Shettima Ali Monguno, read by former head of the Borno State... Read More

boko haram, Borno State, nigeria, violence

June 16, 2012

“Real music is back”? Listen to Uche “OUCH” Nnaji’s debut single ‘Call Me’

by Lekan Olanrewaju A designer branching out and stepping onto the music scene; now that’s something we don’t see everyday. But clearly ace Nigerian designer and head of the label Ouch has no qualms with that, as he has put out a single titled “Call Me”. The designer who celebrated his birthday a few days... Read More

Music, obi asika, Ouch!, Strom Records, Uche Nnaji

June 16, 2012

Free for now: Farouk Lawan released on bail

by Stanley Azuakola The drama surely has not ended. But there was temporary respite for embattled member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Farouk Lawan. Lawan, who has been in custody since Thursday when he answered the police invitation to come and answer questions regarding his role in the $620, 000 bribery scandal, was released... Read More

bail, bribe, farouk lawan, Femi Otedola

June 16, 2012

Opinion: How cheap is Farouk Lawan?

by Mbasekei Martin Obono In a country that makes heroes out of people who do normal things – like carrying out the jobs they are paid or elected to do, or by just summoning the courage to say what is right, Farouk Lawan would easily pass as a hero. Mr. Lawan is a charmer whose... Read More

ambition, bribe, cheap, dollars, farouk lawan, future, otedola

June 16, 2012

Prince Philip to Olusegun Obasanjo: “You look like you’re ready for bed!” – and other gaffes, as he turns 90

The United Kingdom’s Daily Mirror relives 90 of the gaffes of the monarchy’s Prince Philip, famous for saying exactly what he thinks, as he turns 90. Enjoy it! 1 After being told that Madonna was singing the Die Another Day theme in 2002: “Are we going to need ear plugs?” 2 To a car park... Read More

Britain, monarchy, Obasanjo, prince philip, queen elizabeth

June 16, 2012

PHOTO: Charly Boy digs his own grave

by Hauwa Gambo No comment.

June 16, 2012

Farouk Lawan Video: “He hid the money in his cap and put it on his head”

by Stanley Azuakola Most Nigerians are hoping that someday soon, the video showing member of House of Representatives collecting bribes from Mr. Femi Otedola would be released or leaked to the public. While the wait continues for such a day, reporters from Premium Times spoke with officials who had seen the video and wrote a... Read More

bribe, farouk lawan, Femi Otedola, sss, Video

June 16, 2012

#TheNextBigThing: Falz is Femi Falana’s son, but that’s just ‘shakara’

by Doyin Jaiyesinmi More than just being a rap artist, Folarin “Falz” Falana is an entertainer. Within a short period of time, he has captured the heart of many with his rib-cracking lyrics. Behind all the jokes and banter however is a determined young man Let’s go to the very beginning. At what point did... Read More

falz, femi falana, the next big thing

June 16, 2012

“It should be a God-given right!” – Nicki Minaj is furious over Yvette Wilson’s death

by Adeniyi Abdul Nicki Minaj is not satisfied with America’s healthcare system; and she sure as hell isn’t afraid to say it. The rapper (or is she a singer these days?) known for her colourful wigs and outfits was reacting to the news of the death of TV star Yvette Wilson (The Parkers/Moesha) who lost... Read More

June 16, 2012

“My next album will be dynamite” – Femi Kuti speaks on fans, Funke and Fela as he turns 50 today

Born on June 16, 1962, Femi Kuti, son of late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and icon in his own right, turned 50 today, and - as usual - he held back no punches in this interview with Vanguard. His candour is always refreshing (and the last few answers are priceless). Read More

afrobeat, anikulapo, band, fela, Femi Kuti, funke, Girlfriend, Music

June 16, 2012

Video: Omawumi feat. Flavour – ‘Bottom Belle’

by Stanley Azuakola Omawumi’s new video “Bottom Belle” is out and it’s simply fab – at least, we think so. It is directed by Clarence Peters and features high life king, Flavour. Enjoy.

bottom belle, Clarence Peters, Flavour, omawumi

June 16, 2012

Death traps: Nigeria ranked second worldwide in road accidents

by Stanley Azuakola If the recent air crash has caused for you a phobia for air travel, then this news will not cheer you up. According to the Federal Road Safety Corps, only Eritrea has more road accidents per year than Nigeria. The Zonal Commanding Officer, Zone RS2 of the FRSC, Adekunle Lawal, who made... Read More

accidents, awujale, frsc, nigeria, road

June 16, 2012

Dele Momodu: How they catch monkeys in Brazil

by Dele Momodu Beware of those who seek to take care of your need Lest your caretakers become your jailers” -Jim Rohn, The Treasury of Quotes Fellow Nigerians, if you grew up in my generation or much earlier, you are likely to have come across the novels of one of the best thriller writers of... Read More

brazil, bribe, Dele Momodu, farouk lawan, monkeys, nigeria, otedola

June 16, 2012

“I have nothing to hide” – Femi Otedola thinks the House of Reps is “laughable”

by Lekan Olanrewaju The CEO of Zenon Oil and Gas Limited – who is currently caught up in a bribery scandal involving Honorable Farouk Lawan – has shared a few of his thoughts on current developments in the House of Reps and they are, well, interesting. The House of Reps had yesterday suspended the head... Read More

Bribery Scandal, Farouk Lwan, Femi Otedola, fuel subsidy probe, House of Reps

June 16, 2012

Justice Gabriel Kolawole on fire: Declares Islamic banking illegal

by Stanley Azuakola It’s not every day you hear that a single judge gave two headline-making rulings on the same day. But that’s what happened yesterday Friday 15 in Abuja at the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Gabriel Kolawole. In one of the cases involving Sen. Ali Ndume, who is accused of being... Read More

Ali Ndume, Gabriel Kolawole, Godwin Ogboja, Jaiz Bank, Sanusi Lamido

June 16, 2012

Temie Giwa: Stop the horror (YNaija FrontPage)

A recent conversation with someone on twitter reminded me of the issue of Female Genital Mutilation in Nigeria. The lives of women are difficult all over the world and the constant struggle to protect the integrity of our bodies is a never-ending battle. Recently, in the United States, a concentrated effort to destroy Planned Parenthood,... Read More

June 16, 2012

“I’m a damaged woman” – 13 things about Kola Boof’s “press statement” that made me sad

by Hauwa Gambo If you don’t know who Kola Boof is or how her name became entangled with those of Russel Simmons, Kimora Lee Simmons, and Djimon Honsou, then you are lucky; run along – there’s nothing to see here but woe. But if you do know both Boof and then the entire huff and... Read More

africa, Djimon Honsou, kimoro, Kola Boof, Linda Ikeji, osama, russell, simmons, Sudan

June 16, 2012

#InCaseYouMissedIt: It’s official – Genevieve Nnaji is queen of the Range (Photos)

by Hauwa Gambo We reported a few weeks ago that Genevieve Nnaji (no suffixes needed) would be the new face of Range Rover in Nigeria. And now it’s official. Land Rover and Coscharis Motors on Thursday held a press event announcing Nnaji as their ambassador for the new Range Rover Evoque in Nigeria. The event... Read More

ambassador, car, cosharis, genevieve, land rover, nnaji, range rover

June 16, 2012

#InCaseYouMissedIt: #DanaCrash investigators probe for contaminated fuel

by Hauwa Gambo There are reports that the team of investigators from our local Accident Investigation Bureau and the United States National Transportation Safety Board are looking seriously into samples of aviation fuel collected from all of Dana Air’s Boeing MD-83 planes aircraft. The investigators are said to have begun tests on samples of aviation... Read More

#DanaCrash, Aircraft, Airline, Fuel, investigators

June 16, 2012

“A big problem” – Religious groups stop members from donating blood

by Stanley Azuakola July 14 was World Donors Day. In an event organized by the National Blood Transfusion Centre, Enugu, to mark the day, religious groups came under fire. They were criticized for the pressure they applied on their members, dissuading them from donating blood. The Coordinator of the Centre, Michael Chukwu, disclosed that religious... Read More

Club 25, world donors day

June 16, 2012

#DanaCrash: We must not forget, say organisers of memorial service

by Stanley Azuakola With the pace at which the talking points in Nigeria change as new developments occur in the polity, it takes less than a week for Nigerians to move on and forget about issues that used to mean the world to them. On June 3 this year, a plane conveying 153 passengers from... Read More

dana crash, lagos, memorial service

June 16, 2012

Aninoritse Odeli-Serrano: Hello, my name is …

by Aninoritse Serrano-Odeli What’s in a name? A lot of people have had this argument over the years: “nothing is in a name; oh a lot is in a name”. Either way, this argument did not start with me and long after I am dead and gone lots of people will still talk this matter.... Read More

names

June 16, 2012

Report: Farouk Lawan may spend weekend in detention, to sue police on Monday

by Hauwa Gambo Lawyers to the (former?) chairman of the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Farouk Lawan, may be heading to court on Monday. (Read updates on FemiVSFarouk bribe scandal HERE) As at 7pm yesterday, the legislator was still detailed along with the clerk of his committee, after they reported at the... Read More

bribe, dollars, House of Representatives, lawan, otedola, police, zenon

June 16, 2012

Woman hacks husband to death in Ekiti

by Seyi Lawal The things you hear. A woman, who is a teacher in the Ido-Osi local government of Ekiti has been reported to have hacked her husband (also a secondary school physics teacher) to death – she attacked him with a machete when he was asleep. He died around 3am on Tuesday, June 12.... Read More

death, Ekiti, hack, teacher, woman

June 16, 2012

You asked for it: Sambo says police reform will cost us N1.5trn

by Hauwa Gambo Maybe next time, we should just grumble quietly. The Vice-President of the country, Namadi Sambo yesterday revealed that the much-talked-about reform of the Nigeria Police Force will be costing Nigeria N1.5 trn, and that’s just the budget. He said this during a meeting of his government’s ]Committee on the Interim Implementation of... Read More

ict, nigeria, police, Reform, Sambo, security, vice president

June 15, 2012

#WhatHeSaid: Dana Air will fly again soon, company executive says

by Hauwa Gambo Pilot Africa is reporting that Dana Air, which has been in the news after a fatal crash that killed over 200 people, will fly again soon. See report below: A company executive for Dana Air, the Nigerian airline whose passenger jet crashed in Lagos on Sunday, 3 June, killing over 150, will... Read More

#DanaCrash, Airline, Crash, Dana, fly

June 15, 2012

Opinion: The local and global franchising of 419 Nigerian churches

by Lawrence Chinedu Nwobu To say that Nigeria is a 419 republic would be an understatement. Practically everywhere you look there is a scam. Whether in the government, the private sector and nowadays even in the once hallowed churches, there is an ongoing scam every second of the day. In the last few... Read More

419, africa, America, Canada, Church, churches, europe, franchise, Fraud

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