Big Brother Show Begins Sunday May 26.

The eighth edition of Africa’s biggest reality series Big Brother Africa kicks off in May and already fans of arguably the most successful television franchise ever seen on the continent are asking…who will the new housemates be? Who will find their name and their faces gracing newspapers, their profiles loaded to websites and blogs? Who will become the subject of drive time radio and just who will find themselves heating up the Twitter-sphere?

At this time there is no way to know this but if you meet the entry requirements and enter between now and Valentine’s Day on February 14, you may well be among the superstars in waiting and may find yourself flirting with fame and fortune!

This year, entry is open to the same 14 countries as the year before with the only exception being Liberia which will be replaced by Ethiopia for this year. The replacement comes as AfricaMagic and series producers Endemol SA rotate certain countries into and out of the format. The reason for this is to ensure that a wide range of countries can be included in different editions of the series. As a result of the change, participating countries this year are: Angola, Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Entry is open to all those persons over the age of 21, who are citizens of one of the participating countries and who either have a valid passport or will be able to obtain one by the end of March. Producers are looking for persons who are fluent in English, entertaining and passionate about the Big Brother experience. Of particular importance to the selection team are the qualities of tolerance, determination and enthusiasm. If you are open-minded, bold and adventurous, that’s even better!Entry forms are available immediately at www.africamagic.tv/bigbrother so visit the website and complete the online submission form. Printed entry forms will also be available at MultiChoice offices in the participating countries from February 1, 2013.

As with previous editions of Big Brother Africa, the new season will have a twist…and according to M-Net Africa Managing Director Biola Alabi, who has helmed the production for the past four years, the big surprise this year is one that audiences are expected to fall in love with. “As always, we won’t say much about the new season but I can confirm that we’ve added a new element that I think will get the hearts of viewers racing. The fact that the fans truly adore the show is all the motivation we need to keep it fresh and fun!”

Her views are echoed by Endemol MD Sivan Pillay who says, “Our long-term association with M-Net is very much a partnership, a marriage of sorts. We understand what they desire for their audiences, and they trust us enough to let us develop innovative twists and surprises. So the process is quite harmonious and very exciting, as all good relationships should be. I am hopeful that this year we are creating a red-hot show that will include familiar trademarks like nominations and evictions alongside a very special new development.”

Previous editions of Big Brother Africa have boasted huge cash prizes for winners and this year the winner will walk away with USD 300 000.

More information on Big Brother Africa 8 will be made available over the next month, so stay tuned to AfricaMagic, follow the action on Twitter and Facebook and keep checking the website. Big Brother Africa 8 will be screened live 24/7 on DStv channels 197 and 198 while GOtv audiences will see highlights of the program which begins on Sunday May 26 and is scheduled to run for 91 days.

Naija Runs Girl Reveals How To Spot A Runs Girl In London.

hehe watch and enjoy ....................

Cute Shot: Babyface's Daughter Peyton Edmunds Is The Newest Face Of GUESS Kids Brand.

Babyface's little girl is growing up fast, Little Peyton Edmunds is the newest face of the GUESS Kids brand. And we've got her cute ad campaign inside...

When you're the super cute daughter of R&B royalty, why wouldn't you easily land a major fashion campaign at just 4-years-old?
Babyface and wife Nicole already have a model daughter on their hands. Peyton Nicole Edmunds is starring in the GUESS Kids Spring 2013 campaign. The colorful images will showcase spring’s must-have styles for the next generation of GUESS girls and

The GUESS Kids images were shot on the beach in Malibu with Paul Marciano, Creative Director at GUESS? Inc. The energetic model kids will be shown playing on a warm sunny day on the beach and styled in classic denim vests, skirts, colored jeans, ruffled rompers and printed dresses. All the cutesy stuff we love to see fashionable kiddies in.
Peyton's first released shot is above, and her images are already popping up in international fashion magazines and on buses and billboards. Adorbs!
Pictures coming soon................

Shawty Lo's "Baby Mamas" Show Cancelled.

And that's a wrap for Shawty Lo! Before his show could even see the light of prime time, Oxygen has canceled the rapper's "All My Babies' Mamas" show due to constant pressure.
Deets inside...
After defending the show once it started the very short lived publicity campaign, the Oxygen network has put the kibosh on ATL drug honcho turned rapper Shawty Lo's made-for-foolywang "All My Babies' Mamas." That's right. You won't be seeing 10 women, who are all mothers to Shawty Lo's kids, play out their foolish, sad or cringe worthy behavior while Shawty stays in the middle being equally foolish and getting praised for it.
The Daily Beast says their sources say Oxygen will announce cancellation any day now. Interestingly, the network first defended the show by saying, “It was not meant to be a stereotypical representation of everyday life for any one demographic or cross section of society.’’
Oh really? Interesting.
The creator of the petition, Sabrina Lamb, worked to stop the show from airing. She stated in the petition (the gist of it) that the show would be a horrific example of life for a certain "group" of people. She told the Daily Beast:
“I love that the people who’ve signed the petition are from all backgrounds, ages, and countries. This one elderly white man wrote me and said even he was tired of the stereotypical images of black people.’’
“This show is about more than a rapper and his girlfriends. This is a show about kids who had no choice in how they came into the world. This show sets them up to be ridiculed and made fun of. None of us should be OK with that.’’

Meet Africa's First Female Billionaire: Isabel Dos Santos.

 

Isabel Dos Santos

 Isabel Dos Santos is Africa's first female billionaire daughter of Angolan President Jose Eduardo Dos Santos.

The 40-year-old studied engineering at King's College, London, before opening her first business at the age of 24 - a restaurant called Miami Beach.

She has come a long way since then, currently sitting on the boards of several companies in Angola and Portugal and owning large stakes in wealthy corporations including a bank and a cable TV company.

Her assets include a 19.5 per cent share of Banco BPI, one of Portugal's largest publicly traded bank worth an estimated $465 million and a 25 per cent stake in the Angola's Banco BIC worth a conservative $160 million.

Last year she reportedly increased her share in Portugal's largest cable TV company ZON Multimedia from 4.9 per cent to 28.8 per cent worth around $385 million.

Those stakes combined with other assets push her net worth over the $1 billion mark.

However according to Forbes business magazine sources within Angola say she also owns a 25 per cent stake in Unitel – one of the country's two mobile phone networks which according to analysts is worth a minimum of a billion on its own.

Angola, a country of 18 million people, lies on the western coast of southern Africa and is rich in diamonds and oil.

Jose Eduardo dos Santos has been president of the country since 1979, four years after it gained independence from Portugal.

He recently changed the constitution to give himself a further ten years in power if his MPLA party is successful in the forthcoming elections.

The country was wracked by 27 years of civil war which finally ended in 2002 leading to a huge jump in oil revenues from $3 billion in 2002 to $66 billion in 2008.

Transparency International, the respected NGO that investigates government fraud, recently ranked Angola 168th out of 178 countries in its corruption perception index.

Isabel's Father

Growth: Angola experienced 27 years of civil war which finally ended in 2002 after which oil revenues jumped from $3 billion to $66 billion in 2008

In an attempt to understand dos Santos's meteoric rise, Forbes asked Peter Lewis, a professor of African Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School for Advanced International Studies to shed some light on Angolan business matters.

He said: 'The source of funds and corporate governance are very murky. The central problem in Angola is the complete lack of transparency. We can't trace the provenance of these funds.

'When you tease out the ownership and controlling interests in Angola it reads like a Who's Who of [the President's] family members and party and military chiefs.'

Professor Lewis suggested that while the Angolan government appeared to be investing some money into the country's infrastructure it was awash in cash with $5 billion having already been documented in illicit financial flows.

A spokeswoman for Isabel dos Santos in Portugal insisted all her investments have been presented with maximum transparency from publicly listed companies.

Source DailyMail

Governor Liyel Imoke Of Cross River Undergoes Renal Surgery,Chime Of Enugu On Treatment For Cancer.

Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, who has been out of the country since September, is being treated for cancer, investigations has revealed.
But following the intensive treatment the governor underwent in a London hospital, the cancer is said to be in remission, a source said Thursday.
Chime had left the country last September, ostensibly on a six-week vacation, and he had not been seen or heard of until Tuesday when a photograph of him and a delegation of the Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF), which had visited him in London, was released to the press.
The delegation comprised the NGF Chairman and Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio and their counterpart from Benue State, Mr. Gabriel Suswam.
Even though he handed over to his deputy Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi before he left, his prolonged absence and silence have led to rumours over his health and whereabouts.
Also, Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, who like his Enugu State counterpart departed the country under the guise that he was going on vacation, we learnt, is now stable following a surgical procedure performed on him at a United States hospital some weeks ago.
Contrary to speculations that Imoke too might have been battling cancer, it was gathered last night that the governor had undergone renal surgery, which was successfully carried out on him.
Disclosing how Chime discovered he had cancer, the source said the governor during a medical check-up in London noticed a small growth around the left side of his neck and complained to his doctors who dismissed it and gave him a clean bill.
Chime then left London to join his colleagues who were then in Germany on an assignment but soon returned to London to complain again because he was not comfortable with the growth.
It was at that point, the source said, that his doctors decided to perform a biopsy, which revealed that the growth was cancerous.
The result, the source said, also discovered another cancerous growth around his nose and doctors immediately went to work, promising to be through within six weeks.
It later turned out that the initial six weeks was insufficient, prompting the governor to seek an extension of his leave to enable him complete his treatment in London.
The source added that now that Chime has been given the all clear, he would soon come back home to Nigeria.
But he warned that with cancer, which has gone into remission, Chime would have to undergo regular check-ups to ensure that it has not returned.
According to the source, the only thing that is still keeping Chime in London is the slight swelling around his face which doctors are said to be working on.
He said Chime's medical team had assured him that all things being equal, he should be back at his desk next month.
On Imoke, the source said though the governor too had undergone treatment for his kidney ailment, he said the Cross River governor's case was not as bad as projected.
He said Imoke had renal surgery and was recuperating in a US hospital, adding that the governor would soon return to his desk once his doctors certify that he is good to go.
Courtesy This Day

LLCool J Talks To Oprah About Abusive Childhood.

Rapper and actor LL Cool J appears on the next episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter" where he talks about abusive childhood. 

On the next episode of "Oprah's Next Chapter"  Oprah sits down with multi-platinum artist and actor LL Cool J in his Los Angeles home. The "NCIS" star opens up about his recording career, his sex-crazed youth, his abusive childhood and the night he wrestled a burgular who entered his home. His wife, Simone and their four children also join the conversation. Watch Oprah's interview with LL Cool J on Sunday, January 27.

watch the clip here............

Michelle Williams And Adesola Osakalumiin To Star In ''FELA"

 

Michelle and Adesola

 Michelle Williams is going back to the stage for a 16-city run of "FELA!" See pics from her rehearsal inside. Michelle Williams was spotted singing and dancing during rehearsals for the touring company of 'FELA!' at the Pearl Studios in New York City. She is playing the role of Sandra Isadore, who was Fela's African-American lover. Maija Garcia, the tour director and choreographer, spoke of Michelle's addition saying,

"Sandra is our key for an American audience to look at Fela and understand a bit more where Fela may have been coming from. And an American audience can very much identify with Michelle Williams because she's of our time. She really becomes a vehicle for people to learn about Fela and for people to understand why Fela is relevant in the United States."

She'll be starring alongside Adesola Osakalumiin (who plays Fela Kuti) during the 16-city run.

 Michelle starts "Fela!" at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 29, before stops through Miami, Atlanta, Cleveland, Dallas, Los Angeles, Seattle, Nashville, Tenn and other locales.

Source The YBF.com
Photos via Walter McBride/INFphoto.com

Karrueche Goes TOPLESS & Nude Bottom'd For ROLLING OUT, Hangs Out With Chris Brown At Draya's Birthday Bash.

Karrueche Tran is playing no games when it comes to making sure her name stays in the mix....even after Chris Brown has dumped her. The creator of The Kill clothing line is covering the new issue of ROLLING OUT magazine....in nothing but nude panties.

The trio has been spotted hanging out a lot over the past year.  Something tells us none of them are strangers to threesomes...with each other.

 parties with Chris Brown at Draya's Birthday.

Beyoncé Reveals Her Bedroom Secrets In Behind The Scenes Footage Of Sizzling Photoshoot.

 

Sultry Beyoncé has revealed her bedroom secrets in a sizzling photoshoot at her own home - and it involves listening to raunchy songs before making love to husband Jay-Z.

In raunchy backstage footage of a sizzling GQ shoot 31-year-old Beyoncé can be seen stripping down to her underwear and even throwing flour all over her kitchen, in an attempt to enhance her domestic goddess reputation.
Showing off her sensual side Beyoncé flirts with the camera in the shoot with famed photographer Terry Richardson, who encourages the curvy singer to embrace more than just the usual underwear shots - one frame shows the sultry star reading the New York Post in an over-sized man's shirt

Stripping off: Beyoncé shows off her perfect figure in the behind the scenes video in leopard print pants

And the star reveals in the interview that when she is scared she often listens to Make Love To Me, by Rick James, before going to make love to her husband rapper Jay-Z

She said: 'If I'm scared, be scared, allow it, release it, move on. I think I need to go listen to 'Make Love to Me' and make love to my husband."

Clad in leopard print underwear the singer shows off her washboard stomach in the footage on Rap-Up.com wearing just the briefs and a midriff baring black top.

Shirt open... mic in hand: Beyoncé shows how to rock the karaoke look

bey

Sultry: Beyoncé shows off her skills infront of the camera

bey

In the bedroom... Beyoncé takes a rugby ball: In the behind the scenes footage fans get a glimpse of the star's boudoir

Yummy mummy: The singer poses up in variety of outfits, all accesorised with chunky jewellery

Beyoncé accesorised her look with some chunky gold jewellery and kept her honey coloured hair loose over shoulders, with a trendy fringe flick.

Blue Ivy's mother then decided to shed her clothes, grab a mic and start singing.

She later kicks back in a chair, reads the New York Post, and rocks one of Jay-Z's Brooklyn Nets caps.

Rocking those specs: Mother Beyoncé manages to look cool, even in huge glasses just lounging on the sofa

Inspiration: In the interview Beyoncé said she has conquered many fears since becoming a global star at a young age

The Super Bowl halftime performer even Terry and the cameras bedroom, where she jumps up and down on the bed while holding a football.

In another outtake, she heads to the kitchen, raiding the fridge and throwing around flour, cherries, whipped cream, and other baking ingredients while wearing a Roc-A-Fella chain.

She told the magazine she has finally fulfilled her life-long ambition to become a symbol of success and empowerment for ladies across the globe, but still finds it difficult to comprehend how much influence she has.

in da kitchen

Flour power: The singer turns all crazy in the kitchen

Bey

A look inside Beyoncé's fridge reveals the star is more than healthy with juices and fruit

She mused: 'When I was writing the Destiny's Child songs, it was a big thing to be that young and taking control. And the label at the time didn't know that we were going to be that successful, so they gave us all control. And I got used to it. It is my goal in life to be that example.

'I now know that, yes, I am powerful. I'm more powerful than my mind can even digest and understand.'

The superstar sacrificed her childhood to make it in the music industry after forming the original Destiny's Child line-up aged just eight, and believes she is now perfectly entitled to sit back and enjoy her success.

Bey

Domestic goddess: Beyoncé shows off her baking skills, half-naked

Bey

Stunning: The new mother shows off her flirty side in the behind the scenes footage

Bey & Jay

Bedroom secrets: The singer has revealed what gets her in the mood for love with husband Jay-Z

She said: 'I worked so hard during my childhood to meet this goal: by the time I was 30 years old, I could do what I want. I've reached that. I feel very fortunate to be in that position.

'But I've sacrificed a lot of things, and I've worked harder than probably anyone I know in the music industry. So I just have to remind myself that I deserve it.'

Beyonce also says having her first child, daughter Blue Ivy, with her husband Jay-Z last January gave her a new purpose in life.

She explained: 'I love my job, but it's more than that; I need it. Because before I gave birth, it was the only time in my life, all throughout my life, that I was lost.'

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Kanye West's Ex-Girlfriend Brooke Crittendon Reveals That He Is VULNERABLE & INSECURE, Says Kim Kardashian "Fits His Brand"

Kanye West's ex-girlfriend Brooke Crittendon gave an interesting perspective on his relationship with Kim Kardashian and how it all serves a higher purpose for his brand.  And it all shields his insecurity.  All things we kinda figured out a while ago, but interesting to hear one of his exes confirm.  Find out Brooke's tales from the ex inside.....

You can learn a lot about a person when their "ex" starts spilling intimate details.  And though Brooke Crittendon didn't throw her ex-Kanye West completely under the bus during a recent interview with The Sun, she did give an interesting perspective on why he ended up in the arms of reality tv starlet Kim K. 

Brooke, who dated Kanye from 2004 to 2006 (before he got engaged to Alexis Phifer), explained her thoughts about the pairing of Kanye and Kim by bascially saying the "relationship" compliments his ego. Obvi.  She said:

"For Kanye, what other person besides Kim Kardashian is there? There's Halle Berry, J.Lo and Beyonce, but they are all taken. She fits into his brand. Part of being untouchable is having what other people want. It's about saying, 'Everybody wants her and she wants me.' That makes sense in Kanye's world."

She adds that a man like Kanye wants certain things from his career and for his life. That checklist will include, money, fame, the hot chick and the kids to go along with it.  And she confirmed 'Ye's been eyeing the sextape star turned self-loving reality star for a minute now:

"I know he has had a thing with her for a while. I'm sure he watched her [sex] tape. After we broke up, we caught up as friends and he mentioned her, I knew something was there ... Them being together satisfies them for now. Having a baby ticks a box. She wanted kids and it's his legacy."

Brooke also credited Jay-Z with having a huge influence on Kanye settling down with Kim. 

"He admires Jay-Z and they are very close. Over the years Jay has been a role model to him. Whether it is starting to be more mature, taking chances with clothes or getting married and starting a family, ultimately he takes those cues from Jay."

Though it seems Brooke suspects their relationship won't last (since it will only momentarily satisfy Kayne), she admitted that dating Mr. West had its perks.

"By day I was working in an office (she was a production assistant at MTV) and in the evening this fairy godmother would arrive and I'd have all these amazing experiences. It was like a two-year trip to Disneyland.

Our first anniversary was the first day of his tour in Miami. After the show we went back to our suite and there were hundreds of roses and the orchestra section from his concert were in there playing the song, It's Our Anniversary, by Tony! Toni! Tone!"

She also revealed something you might not expect about Kanye...he's vulnerable and insecure.  Actually...you may have guessed that.

"He was not macho — he needed you to be with him and needed your opinion. He was quite vulnerable.  He was insecure as he couldn't be with me every day. I got the impression he worried he wasn't good enough for me. He needs people to tell him he is good and that he is needed and wanted.  He wouldn't start his show unless I was at the side of the stage. One night the show was delayed because he couldn't find me."

Really Brooke?  Despite his insecurity, it didn't stop him from living the life of a rockstar which included all those other chics. Brooke said his cheating is what led to their breakup.

"I was very naive. I was a normal girl and in my life you meet a guy, you go on three dates and that's your boyfriend. But he was a superstar and it got too much for me to handle.

There was a lot of attention from other women. Kanye was very open and honest but it ended up with me knowing too much. I don't want to be silly and say it wasn't cheating because I knew about it.  I was never OK being one of many — or even one of a few."

Brooke added that what distinguishes her from Kim is that she's an ordinary girl and wasn't willing to conform to Kanye's expectations and be robbed of her individuality.

We've heard she isn't little miss innocent either when it comes to cheating ways.  But that's for another day.  We guess the grass is always greener....

A Clergy Catwalk From The Parish Fashion Week.

The very latest Parish fashions were modelled recently by men and women of God who paraded down a clergy catwalk.
Five vicars showed off the new designs in ecclesiastical wear, which are made in the different colours which are worn according to the season in the Church's calendar.
Hundreds of clergy jostled for a place on the show's front row as the group revealed cutting-edge bespoke vestments in bright colours.'They design everything needed by members of the clergy, from clerical shirts and collars to archbishops' robes.

'We have ranges from two clothing designers, a T-shirt maker, and jewellery because of the current issue of wearing religious items as jewellery.

 





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Source Dailymail.

A CNN Interview & The Waffling “Bulb Lighting” President.

The nation was agog about the President's interview for obviously different reasons, both supporters and critics alike were waiting to hear their President discuss cogent national issues with Christiane Amanpour of CNN on Wednesday, January 23 2013. Initially I had mixed feelings before the interview, deciding whether to prepare for a laughter fest or watching-wall-paint-dry boredom. Though I must confess the Clinton- U.S Embassy in Libya Inquiry coming up at the slated time of the interview almost took off some of the steam. There were already jokes of the interview being so petrifying it was invariably postponed to discourage viewership. After waiting an additional 2 hours, the interview got on the way. As usual President Goodluck Jonathan didn't disappoint his teaming "fans" with another coxcombical showing.


Below are excerpts from the interview with Christiane Amanpour, among the key issues discussed are Security, Power and Corruption.


SECURITY
Amanpour: "Is Nigeria prepared in case there's a terrorist attack? (Like that of Algeria)


Jonathan: ".... what happened in Algeria is quite unfortunate."


Amanpour: Others believe Boko Haram is about resisting misrule and corruption"


Jonathan: "No! No! No! Boko Haram is not as a result of misrule. Sometimes people feel it's as a result of poverty, definitely not. We should not play politics with Boko Haram"


Amanpour: "The security forces are driving people to the hands of Boko Haram"


(Interjection)

Jonathan: How!? How!?


Amanpour: "One of the NGO's is quoted as saying: indiscriminate security measures, heavy handed crackdown, that rounds up thousands of people, whether they are civilian or children, people that have got nothing to do with Boko Haram. They are also saying the police in the last year or so have killed more people than Boko Haram. Do you admit that there is a problem in the security dealing with it?"


Jonathan: "That!-is not-correct. That!-is not- correct. I have said it severally; those are insinuations by some interest groups"


Amanpour: "One of those interest groups is the State Department of the United States"


Jonathan: "No! No! No! People get wrong information to the State Department of United States. They have the means of knowing the truth, they should try and "filter the truth". They should not just listen to people who have access to them."


Amanpour: "The United States Assistant Secretary of State has said: the methods of the crackdown is inflaming the population and inflaming the situation"


POWER (Electricity)


Amanpour: "When I interviewed you 3 years ago now, in your first interview as you assumed power. You said that the main issues for the people of Nigeria are corruption and even electricity, power you talked about. Today those are still the same issues. Some 60% of the people of Nigeria don't have regular power or electricity, 3 years later what do have to say about that?"


Jonathan: "I would have loved that you asked an ordinary Nigerian in the streets of Lagos and Abuja or another other city this question about power. That is one area that Nigerians are quite pleased with government, that our commitment to improve power is working. So if you are saying something different, am really surprised. That is one area that even civil society members agree that government has kept faith with its promise."


Amanpour: "What should I tell the people who keep contacting us and saying they hope they have electricity just to be able to watch this interview on their televisions, clearly it is still a big problem. Is it still a problem despite the progress you say you made?"


Jonathan: "We have not got to where we should be, the power infrastructure is one investment that must complete the chain before the bulb can light.


I promise you (promising Amanpour and not Nigerians) that before the end of the year, power would be reasonably stable."


CORRUPTION


Amanpour: "...corruption which you say you are trying to tackle. When people look at Nigeria and see all your wealth, they say oh my goodness this is a country that is stealing and bleeding itself dry. Even your own Minister of Finance talked about 400,000 barrels of oil a day simply being stolen, simply disappearing without any account. One of your ministers has said the level of theft from the government amounts to about $7 billion (U.S Dollars) a year, that's still a problem isn't it?"


Jonathan: "This stolen crude is being bought by refineries abroad and they know the oil was stolen. The world must condemn what is wrong. The stolen crude is refined abroad; it's not refined in Nigeria" END.


The words "stealing" and "bleeding" struck a chord with me. A nation stealing and bleeding itself dry. As I often posit and as many who can discern know, the President isn't serious about tackling corruption. So his kinsmen and their business cronies can continue to steal the nation's crude oil and siphon the treasury unabated. It would actually have been consolatory somewhat, if most of the loot and proceeds from crude theft had transformed, if not the entire country but the Niger Delta to another Dubai or a close semblance.


Some have also accused the government of using the nation's insecurity as another means of siphoning public funds. Despite the huge sums budgeted to security yearly, the Boko Haram menace isn't exactly subsiding. If anything the security forces are exacerbating the situation. I wonder how the Nigerian armed forces would assist in combating the Mali insurgents, considering the atrocities meted out on innocent civilians in northern Nigeria combating Boko Haram.


It is also interesting to note the President stated poverty isn't the cause of the problem. In contrast, during a visit to Nigeria, Clinton blamed poverty for the violence in the north.


"Former U.S. President Bill Clinton says poverty is fuelling the religious violence tearing at Nigeria. In a speech Monday, Clinton acknowledged he was "really worried" about the security problems now plaguing the nation, which includes increasingly violent attacks by a radical Islamist sect known as Boko Haram. Boko Haram is based in and has launched attacks across the nation's impoverished Muslim north. "You can't just have this level of inequality persist. That's what's fuelling all this stuff," said Clinton"- Associated Press, Tue, Feb 14, 2012.


One of the vital areas for economic growth is power generation. Those who were fortunate enough to have had electricity during the interview or those who had fuel to power their generator sets would definitely have been appalled by the supposed achievements being claimed by the President in the power sector. Surely the President didn't think he could fool the entire audience. All we ever hear or read about are the inaugurations of committees and their power generation targets, on paper and in their deluded minds they seem to be performing but in reality there's no evidence of such. One begins to question, how long it really takes to generate power by a sincere and purposeful leadership.


Ironically, Nigeria supplies Niger Republic with most of its electricity, while Nigeria struggles to have stable electricity within. According to the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission (NNJC) website:


"Electricity is the basis of the development of modern economies. Availability of electricity in a country is an important factor for economic progress In this regard, the Agreement which has had a vital influence on Niger's economy in the past thirty (30) years and, consequently, on the day-to-day life of the Niger people has been and still remains the Agreement on supply of electric power from the Kainji dam (Nigeria) signed in January I 972 under the auspices of the Convention establishing the Joint Commission and renewed in 1992 between Societe Nigerienne d'Electricite (NIGELEC) of the Republic of Niger and National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The energy cooperation between the two countries has been consolidated and developed to the point where 90% of energy consumed presently in Niger comes from Nigeria."

Evidently charity (power) does not begin at home in this regard.


During the interview, I noticed Christiane Amanpour was trying not to laugh at the responses she was getting from The President. The interview was unsurprisingly bland, so one wouldn't blame viewers for resorting to the comedic side to mask the depression of watching the President of Africa's most populous nation babble on CNN.


Jonathan successfully waffled through the interview, evading critical questions begging for answers, but one of the highlights for me was his fallacious poker-faced responses to questions relating to the power sector. One of the piteous responses from the President was; "The power infrastructure is one investment that must complete the chain before the bulb can light."


This bulb lighting analogy typifies the leadership vacuum and general state of affairs in contemporary Nigeria. May be the President needs to be reminded Edison, Tesla and others inventors lit the bulb in the 19th century. By reducing the mechanisms of power generation to simply lighting a bulb in an age where vacations are being planned to other planets just about sums it up for me.

source OWOLOWO

Malia and Sasha's Outfits Echoed The Colors of Inauguration Of Their Father.

The Obama Daughters coordinated bright shades of purple as they watched their father being  sworn in for his second term as President.

Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11, looked elegant in bright tailored outerwear that set off their mother's navy Thom Browne dress-coat.

In turn, Sasha earned style stripes of her own in a full-skirted lavender Kate Spade coat and a dress from the same label.

Color scheme: Malia wore an amethyst J Crew coat with an oxblood snood, tights and ballerina flats. Her navy leather leather gloves picked out the color of her royal blue dress, peeking from beneath the hem of her coat

.



source Daily Mail