by Staff Writer The Kindle Fire and Barnes & Noble Nook now look like clacking abacuses now that Google has swung into the lead with their awesomely specced Google Nexus 7.
It has been three decades since that Chinua Achebe’s ‘The Trouble with Nigeria’ appeared. That is the book in which Mr. Chinua Achebe, stumped by the state of his country, declares: “The trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership.” Today, disagreeing with that line has since become a mini-industry of its... Read More
by Ruona Agbroko Meyer It is 2008. I am in the Microbiology department of the University of Lagos, Nigeria shaking a blackened test tube over a Bunsen burner. A classmate waves. I shift the wooden tongs to my less-used right hand, and hug her. We make small talk. It turns out Damilare is here to write... Read More
by Joachim MacEbong The now famous “I don’t give a damn!” line from President Jonathan’s media chat last week Sunday is not the only interesting aspect of his performance. He also commented on the criticism he gets on a daily basis: “Criticising Jonathan and the Jonathan administration is big business. When I took over as president, I... Read More
by Stanley Azuakola It’s not like Aliko Dangote needed any further justification. The man is now a regular on the Forbes list of the world’s richest men (wort $11.2 billion as at March 2012.) Now, Forbes Africa, in collaboration with ABN Productions has named his company Dangote Group as the top rated West African company. At a dinner event... Read More
byStaff Writer The grandson of Grammy-winning drummer Babatunde Olatunji, Ayo Olatunji burst on to the American not-so-mainstream music scene as an independent singer-songwriter and producer, eventually getting a credit on Spike Lee’s movie, ‘The Inside Man’. He released his first mix-tape in June 2011 called ‘8 Bit Love’ and a year later he released three tracks from... Read More
by Stanley Azuakola If you planned to use the repairs of the Third Mainland Bridge as an excuse for resuming late to work this week, sorry, it won’t work. this is because the proposed repair work earlier scheduled to begin on the Third Mainland Bridge on Sunday did not commence. Lagos Sector Commander of the... Read More
One last time I take a look out the large window. I spent so many hours sitting in its sill, thinking, enjoying the view over the Utrecht houses onto the Dutch polder landscape. Then I pick up the last box, walk out the studio apartment and return the keys to the land lady who came to... Read More
by Stanley Azuakola The wait is almost over. Years have gone by since the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was first proposed. In fact, the last attempt, introduced in 2008 when Rilwanu Lukman was still Minister of Petroleum, died with the last assembly in 2011. President Jonathan who promised to re-submit that bill when elected has spent... Read More
by Stanley Azuakola There is something called the Goodluck Jonathan conundrum. This is how it is defined: Just when you think you finally understand Nigeria’s President, he does something else which breaks the mould; something that just doesn’t fit into your well plotted graph. That’s why as some pundits go to town touting a new (and... Read More
maybe instead we would have been watching a movie starring you on the day she was raped. Or maybe if we were friends she would’ve talked to me about her depression afterwards. Maybe I could have convinced her that suicide wasn’t the way to go. Dear Nse, She is gone. The quiet, plump girl with stocky... Read More
by Tolu Orekoya The rise in violence in Nigerian northern states have sent non-residents fleeing from the region, as bombings by terrorist group Boko Haram and reprisal attacks flourish. The National Youth Service Corps still deployed corps members to states such as Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Kano, Sokoto and Yobe, despite the lack of stability in those states. Some... Read More
by Staff Writer Despite the cases of alleged corruption involving important bodies of the government including the Security and Exhchange Commission and the House, Nigerian president, Goodluck Jonathan denies that either him or his administration are “soft on corruption”. The Presidency said nothing had been done or left undone under the President’s watch to justify the labelling... Read More
by Staff Writer As the investigations over the $620,000 bribery fiasco involving Farouk Lawan and oil magnate, Femi Otedola tries to gain some traction after being stonewalled by many of the parties involved, Otedola has moved on, trying to get financial restitution, in the amount of N250 billion. For intimidating and costing him good will and patronage, the Chairman... Read More
by Staff Writer They keep getting younger. The year 28-year-old BET ‘106 & Park’ VJ Rocsi Diaz was born, Eddie Murphy, 51, was featuring in his last season as a star on TV show, ‘Saturday Night Live’. The couple were rumoured to have started dating about a month ago, when the celebrity duo were seen leaving a coffee... Read More
by Staff Writer The catfight between Chris ‘Breezy’ Brown, and Drake ‘Drizzy’ just went from the night club to the rap booth, with Chris Brown’s attempt at a diss track. Released to DJ Orator, yesterday (download here) the track shows off’s Breezy’s less than impressive lyrical skill as he tries to insult the ‘Take Care’... Read More
I may not be theologically correct, but at least I should make a little sense, morally speaking—or writing. The ubiquitous public display of women’s bodies leaving virtually nothing to the imagination has never been my worry—trust me, I’ve met ladies in public places and seen how they make deliberate efforts at promoting their cleavage. I have been... Read More
by Staff Writer It what could be retaliatory attacks, CNN reports that there were explosions at two separate churches in the Kenya, killing 17 and injuring at least 40 people according to the Red Cross. The East African country has seen a surge of attacks since its incursion into its neighbour Somalia, last year in order to battle the Islamist group al-Shabaab. ... Read More
12-year-old burns cross into his back with dangerous ‘salt and ice’ game (Warning: Disturbing image)
by Tolu Orekoya A 12-year-old boy from the US city of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania burned a cross into his back after taking part in the “salt and ice challenge” making its way around video website YouTube, and other social networking websites. The challenge is popular among young teenagers, and involves pressing a layer of salt into... Read More
by Staff Writer There has been a fascinating trend going on in Nigerian music: the infusion of dancehall beats and pronunciations. While it is largely hit and miss for most artists, Ms. Chief and her guest artists Kel and Zara stay just this side of over-the-top patois, releasing a grooving-in-your-car track that is a solid addition to... Read More
by Ifeanyi Dike Jr Take this as digest – you have never known true satisfaction until you’ve told someone quite deserving off. The phrase ‘children of nowadays’ has never been said to me with negative insinuation three times in one day. This means I’m becoming increasingly unappealing to the preceding generation. Perhaps I should do... Read More
by Staff Writer In May of this year, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) fined four mobile telecommunication service providers – Airtel, Etisalat, Globacom and MTN – N1.17 billion naira over poor quality of service. For 26 days, they accumulated the daily fines of N2.5 million, while they negotiated payments, and eventually paid the original fine, minus the 26 days. Now,... Read More
by Tolu Orekoya It is always good to see Nigerian’s in the diaspora doing well. Meet Fancy Tracy aka, Tracy Acholonu, a Nigerian model who has had scores of contracts with companies like Coca Cola, Versace, and Tory Burch; and walked the runway for several designers at the last Arise Magazine Fashion Week. She is participating in the... Read More
A few people fell as one girl screamed; “I knew I should have left for London today. I knew it.” Was that a bomb I had just heard? I didn’t want to believe it. Bombings in Nigeria first became a national issue the moment Abuja was hit on October 1, 2010. There couldn’t have... Read More
by Stanley Azuakola Whether it is done in the open, or behind closed doors, the police say the investigation of the Farouk Lawan bribery saga by the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges is illegal. The argument being, the House has no business investigating a criminal matter. If they do, then what will police officers do? The Punch newspaper spoke... Read More
by Tolu Orekoya Pirates made a failed attempt to hijack an unnamed oil tanker off the coast of Nigeria, according to an internationl piracy watchdog. The aborted boarding occurred on Saturday June 30, early in the morning, but none of the crew was injured and the vessel remained in their hands, said the London-based International... Read More
by Staff Writer The lifeblood of our economy, the petroleum industry has been well overdue for an overhaul of the regulations governing the industry. Earlier this year, the first draft of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) was introduced, but many analysts called the bill to be more favourable to petroleum companies. However, President Goodluck Jonathan sent the bill back... Read More
by Stanley Azuakola In exactly one month, the Nigerian Air Force will commence operations at its International Helicopter Training School located in Enugu. This much was revealed by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Umar Dikko, at the weekend, during the graduation ceremony of students of Administration, Air Police, Music, Physical Education and Regiment... Read More
by ‘Ifreke Inyang Later this evening, the European Championships – which has not quite been a quick fix for sworn Premier League fans like us – comes to a close. It will be a fascinating encounter between Italy and holders, Spain. The match will not only bring together the respective brilliance of Andrea Pirlo and... Read More
by ‘Ifreke Inyang Say hello to Nigeria’s newest rap sensation, I-Num. Born Nwachukwu DaSilva, the 22-year-old has released the video to his popular debut single, ‘Man in you life’. I-Num, who is currently signed to the So Felt Muzik Record Company is a lyrical genius, always keen to attack and rip the beat off.... Read More