CELEBRATION: PRESIDENT SHEHU SHAGARI IS 91 TODAY

Former President Shehu Shagari is 91 years old today February 25th. He served as the second President of Nigeria in the Second Republic from October 1^st 1979 to December 31^st 1983. He was born February 25, 1925. Happy Birthday to him and many more years in good health!

PHOTO OF THE DAY: OUR OWN CINDERELLA 'OLAJUMOKE'

Olajumoke modeling Christina from Divine Endowments ...

NIJA WITH SHOW OFF SHA ! MY 'GOLD SHOE' IS WORTH LINDA IKEJI'S 'HERMES BAG' -ROTIMI

UK based celebrity photographer and CEO of Events Reloaded Media, Mayor Rotimi Odunayo made this statement over the fallout from the controversial ‘Hermes bag’ drama involving Nigeria’s numero uno blogger Linda Ikeji.

In a post on his website, Rotimi said: ”My gold shoe is worth her bag and she can google it on the internet and see the price and the shop I bought it from in the UK. Linda should focus more on helping and supporting Nigerians with her wealth of experience in the industry not showing off with things of life.

”It is high time Linda keeps quiet and focus on her blogging and think of ways to expand in business and support those that needs to be helped in the society. As per the fight with Wizkid? I believe they can settle it in the closet rather than public.” 

…So funny, Rotimi, you and Linda are birds of the same feather, why telling or showing us your ‘gold shoe’’?  You too can sell that your ‘gold shoe’ and use the proceed to help the poor now…abi poor people no dey your family?

'IT WAS IN IBADAN THAT I SOLD BOILED EGGS' - TOPE ALABI RECOUNTS...

Beautiful gospel artist Tope Alabi aka 'Ore tio common' is a multi-platinum Nigerian Gospel Singer, film music composer and actress.  And one of the most sought after gospel artists in Nigeria. Just as her music has enjoyed massive airplay for many years now she has also gone through a lot of turbulence. City People recently had a mind blowing interview with her where she spoke about her life, career and why she doesn’t have a permanent church where she worships. See excerpts


You are one musician that people cannot seem to get enough of, what are you presently working on?
I am having Praise The Almighty Concert. It is a yearly concert which we started about 7 years ago. This is the 4th year and we take it to different churches but now we just take hall ourselves and it is always 3rd Sunday of February. I want people to not only attend but they should use it. 

One of the artists who performed 2 years ago, with name Samose, has been married for 5 years without a child. She said it that as she is going on stage, if it was truly God who called her, he should give her fruit of the womb. She brought the baby last year.
I also use it. Like every last 3 days of every month, my family and my ministries go to the Mountain just to praise God. It is our normal routine every month. We just came back from Ori-Oke Ede. We are still going this month, even my driver, guitarist and crew. God told me he loves praise and worship so much.

For how long have you been doing this?
Time immemorial. I always visit Ori-Oke to pray. I am created to worship God. When I am down, I praise God instead of praying. I have so much turbulence in my life. So much lies have been told about me on the internet to belittle me, but I quenched the fire through praise. I told one popular newspaper that I can destroy a whole city with my praise. I know what David did with praise.

You have been through a lot of tribulations but you always triumph, what is that thing that keeps you strong?
It is God and it has been God. I went to minister at CLAM this morning and I told the congregation my story. How my father will come to my room and say “Aiye e O da lati ju yin, ijo wo la aiye e fe da? (Nothing good is coming from you, when will your life be meaningful)? I was trying to make it but all my effort was futile. Where I worked, they told me to stop coming to work. I also joined acting yet I was not used in a single movie. I acted for 21 years and it was hard. I didn’t make it. I followed Ishola Ogunsola to schools to sing back stage. Nothing came out of it. The acting was what I wanted. I didn’t like being in a musician. God loves me and put me at the right position which was singing.

Why singing after 21 years in acting?
Alade Aromire called me one day and said you have been in Orire caucus for years but I don’t know why people don’t like using you in their films but anytime you sing, people listen to you. He said he will write a story while I turn it to song. I left his caucus because of that, I wanted to pursue the acting career. I ran to Yemi my lover and Yemi used me. I sang “Atolly se o gbo. 
I was ready to pay, so that people will use me in their movie. Though my parents said Wooli came to our house in Mafoluku, Oshodi and they said, the girl of the family will be used by God. They didn’t say if it will be singing or preaching. I am the only female in the family and we were Catholics. I said me I can’t be a Reverend Sister. So my mother said if you don’t want to be a Sister, let see how God want to use you.

You have been married for how long now?
Seventeen years and still counting. My husband is my partner and my best friend. God has sustained my marriage this long. He put me there and sustained it.

How is it like running the crew and your husband as the Manager?
Do you want me to say we don’t fight? Do you also want me to say he doesn’t do something and I won’t feel like dropping the microphone? I told him “Ki lo de, you are shouting at us. It has been God. If not God, the fame would have got into me. I just finished cooking for him now.

How many films have you acted in?
I acted Malomo in “Abiku so ologun de ke.” I am Titi in Remilekun all Alade Aromire films but the story was not written by me. I did Ija Ibeji and Ikoko dudu and it was my personal film. I ran at a loss for both films. I still act but it has to be a Christian drama.

What petty job did you do before you made it?
Aside acting, I hawked raw eggs, rice, and stew, garri before going to school in Ewutu grammar school. It was in Ibadan that I sold boiled egg.

We saw the portrait of Bishop Oyedepo as we came into your sitting room, what is the relationship between Bishop Oyedepo and Tope Alabi?
Well, I don’t know Bishop Oyedepo personally; I just hear about him and I love his ministration and teaching. But there was a day Daddy Oyedepo called me and said I should come and minister in his church. I got there and after I finished, I just went to sit within the congregation. 
He used his Microphone to call me and spoke to me one on one. I was like “Can you see? I got to know he is so much in love with my music and people say I am his covenant daughter without my own knowledge.
I also remember the day Pastor Kunle Ajayi of Redeemed called me that Daddy said I should come and minister at Redeemed Church, even before I went through turbulence, I remember Pastor Oladiyun of CLAM called me and said, God said I should be praying for you for the past 1 years. That was a year before the problem started. I asked if I could come and see him, he said I shouldn’t worry. I tried the number and the number wasn’t going through.
A year after that time, the problem of Ajanaku came. Then I remembered what he said ‘God said I should be praying for you.”
So I had to go to CLAM after the victory and I said, this is the man of God I can say I am boldly connected with. He told me boldly that God said I should be praying for you when the turbulence started. 
Mummy Adeboye sent me 2 delegates that God said I do not know anything about this and I should just be calm. They said, they love the way I didn’t answer any questions or grant any interview. 
Just keep praising God. Then Daddy Oyedepo called me and said, just keep on edifying God as you always do. Those are the words of encouragement I got from men of God.

Which church do you worship now?
I am a Redeemer, I am CLAM, I am Covenant. I take my ministry to all churches.

Despite the turbulence, what gave you strength?
It is God, I cried a lot. I am a very passionate person and very emotional. I cried even when God said to me there is no problem, I still cried.

Let’s talk about your husband, how did he react in the face of the trial?
Let me thank God for the life of my husband. He is a very nice person. He is my Daddy and my best pal. He stood by me. He likes doing everything for me.

How did you meet him?
We met in the studio and he loves staying there a lot. I didn’t play hard to get because he is calm and we were friends for 2 to 3 years before he asked me out. Thank God I made the right choice. He stayed with me throughout the trial. (She hugged her husband tight).

Many say you don’t produce your music like you used to do?
I don’t produce unless God tells me to. Sometimes I do twice in a year. He tells me the titles first and we go through the tracks. I don’t think on my own. I get inspiration from God and that is why I only produce every 2 to 3years.

WIKE ASKS ALL RIVERS INDIGENES ON SCHOLASHIP ABROAD TO RETURN HOME TO COMPLETE THEIR STUDIES..

 Nyesom Wike, Rivers state governor, has asked all indigenes of the state who are on scholarship abroad to return to Nigeria to continue their scholarship programmes in any University in the country as the state is currently facing financial crisis and can't continue to sponsor them.

This directive is contained in a letter sent out to the students early this month. The affected students are those that are not in final year as all final year students will be allowed to complete their programmes at their various universities. Read copies of the letter after the cut...

WHERE IS PATROTISM? NIGERIANS COME HARD ON BEN BRUCE FOR PRINTED HIS BOOK 'COMMON SENSE' IN USA !

 Nigerians come hard on Ben Bruce, the common sense and #buynaijatogrowthenaira Advocate after it was discovered that his book titled 'A Common Sense ' was printed in US...So Naija no get good publishing companies again? 

AUGUST VISITOR VISITS SADIQ USMAN WHOSE EYES WERE PLUCKED BY RITUALISTS...

Emeka Oparah Airtel's, Director of Communication,  recently visited Sadiq Usman, the 4 year-old boy whose eyes were plucked by suspected ritualists. The Airtel boss narrates his experience after the cut and also revealed that plans are being finalized to establish a foundation in Sadiq Usman's name.

Emeka Oparah writes below..

Even the strongest of men with the strangest of hearts will sober up on meeting Sadiq Usman, the 4-year-old angel, whose eyes were plucked by suspected ritualists in Zaria last month.

Well, that was my situation as I arrived the rusty village of Bula area of Jushi in the outskirts of Zaria, Kaduna State, where little Sadiq lives with his parents, a younger sister and an older brother, who I’m told, had refused leave the hospital insisting the doctors took one of his eyes to replace his brother’s. Touching.

Even before I met him face to face, my courage failed me and tears, anger, sadness, name it, overwhelmed me. He’s been home for two weeks since his discharge from ABU Teaching Hospital, Zaria. Now, I wish I was able to meet Mrs. Ibru, his nurse at the hospital, who kept giving me update on his progress during those frightful early days of his ordeal. Such a very gracious woman!

My brother and friend, Mallam Bello Moh’d Abdullahi Nasarawa (I call him Mallam Abdullahi), who first brought Sadiq’s plight to public attention, was obviously stronger than me, may be because he’s visited Sadiq while he was in hospital. A man of steel, though, with a warm and genial disposition.

Anyway, it took a while, but eventually Sadiq warmed up to me with the help of his father, Usman Isah Bebeji, who’s become a sort of security guard for the justifiably frightened kid, since his horrible experience.

Playful, cheerful, gentle, funny-even with his eyes still bandaged-Sadiq is a sweet boy. He loved my beard, and kept rubbing it. He didn’t like the crowd that gathered around us and so clung to me…and I clung to him, soaked in my own tears. Chai! I kept imagining what I would have done, if it was my only son, Tito, who was so brutally dealt with. God forbid, but I doubt that I would have survived it.

Well, what else can I say. I’m so glad I made it to Zaria to see my boy. I’m glad I met him the way I met him:happy, hopeful and adapting to his new condition. I, however, couldn’t stop cursing his attackers under my breathe that almighty God deal them a bad hand. They may have succeeded in stealing his eyes, but they can’t take away Sadiq Abubakar’s dreams and vision. And that was the essence of my visit.

Mallam Abdullahi and I have taken it upon ourselves to make Sadiq our own and Nigeria’s Malala-a future Children’s Rights Advocate! That he didn’t lose his life in the course of the evil attack testifies to God’s abiding love and certainly a grand plan to take the otherwise unknown Sadiq to global limelight and acclaim. He still needs expert medical attention and now must be sent to some of the best schools, where his condition will not be a limitation.

The government of Kaduna State, ably led by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, has already pledged a scholarship to university level. The Emir of Zauzau has visited and made promises too. Other kind-hearted Nigerians have pledged support and some have even given some cash. Now, we want to bring these all together. The Sadiq Usman Foundation will be an everlasting platform for the education, medical treatment, local and international exposure and humanitarian activities.

Between Mallam Abdullahi and me, and with the support of his father and the special grace of God, effort is in high gear to finalize the establishment of the Sadiq Usman Foundation (SUF). So, for those who have ideas, finance and other forms of support, please get prepared for the launch of the foundation. You will be apprised of the details and how to make your contributions. God bless you as you make up your mind about how and what to give.

By the way, I took time to retrace the footsteps of Sadiq and those who tried to mess up his life that fateful day (they have failed woefully, though), and I found that it happened within a 500 meter radius, close to his home. Vigilance is absolutely crucial nowadays, with the hardship being experienced by some of us. Desperate people are resorting to dubious, luciferous means of getting by. Cases of kidnapping, ritual killing and such like are rampant. In Zaria, I was told such are on the increase. Let’s keep an eye on our kids, especially, because they are vulnerable.

May  almighty God arrest the perpetrators of this heinous crime against a poor, innocent child and turn his pains into mighty gains as he grows in knowledge, wisdom and good health. Sadiq will be a source of pride and happiness to his family and Nigeria. I look forward to the day he will make his first appearance at our National Assembly to talk about Child Rights as an advocate and from there we shall see him at the United Nations.