One year in office: Buhari reveals his biggest shock as President

President Muhammdu Buhari has revealed his greatest shock since assuming power on May 29, 2015.
He said he could not believe when he was informed that Nigeria had over the years squandered all its precious foreign exchange on the importation of food items and other frivolous items, including tooth picks.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday to editors and newspaper executives in an interview to mark the administration’s first year in office, Buhari said last year, when oil prices fell to $40 per barrel, he summoned Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN] Godwin Emefiele and asked to see what it was that Nigerians were buying with foreign exchange.
He said, “Up to 2013, we were earning on average over $100 per barrel from oil but by fabulous coincidence, it went down to about $30 per barrel when we came in. There was no money to import food. For me, it was the biggest shock.
“Nigeria became an oil economy and we left agriculture and solid minerals and everyone went to the city to look for oil money.”
On his opposition with regards to naira devaluation, he said when he was military Head of State in 1984-85, World Bank and International Monetary Fund [IMF] experts advised him to devalue the naira and remove subsidy on petrol and flour. He said even though they pressed him hard, he did neither of the two.
He said this was because countries that benefitted from currency devaluation were developed countries that produced more products after devaluation and were able to export more because their goods became more competitive.
Buhari further recalled: “When I was removed [as military Head of State] in 1985, the dollar was one naira fifty kobo. Now naira is 350 to the dollar. Tell me the benefits we derived from that? How many factories were built in those years? Economists are not able to explain this to me. I am still waiting for economists to tell me why we should continue to devalue the naira. However, I don’t rule the country alone, so we must accommodate the economists.”
Buhari disclosed that he believes in privatisation of state owned firms, as “It is much more efficient.”
He recalled that as Federal Commissioner for Petroleum Resources in General Obasanjo’s military regime in the 1970s, he signed contracts to build Warri and Kaduna refineries and to expand Port Harcourt refinery as well as build the depots and pipelines.
He said, “Should we sell them as scrap? We cannot spend so much of our national resources to develop infrastructure and then sell them a scrap. We must first take into consideration our state of development. We must repair them first so we can negotiate with the buyers from a position of strength.”
Source: Dailypost

Legends Turn Out For Joseph Yobo’s Testimonial Match

Joseph Yobo has since cemented his place as one of the legends of Nigerian football and as his career winds up, he will get a befitting testimonial match in Port Harcourt to mark his retirement from football today.

It has been reported earlier that the international footballers listed for the testimonial match incude John Terry, Samuel Eto, Yaya Toure, Wayne Rooney and some of Super-Eagles player like Mikel Obi at the testimonial match; and as well appearance of his former manager, David Moyes, and others.

Good luck to @jyobo234 who celebrates his @NGSuperEagles career with a testimonial tomorrow: https://t.co/ipUZ2DakBl pic.twitter.com/0ndv7g6lhw

— Everton (@Everton) May 26, 2016

The testimonial game is organized by the Joseph Yobo Foundation in partnership with the Rivers State Government to celebrate a distinguished career.

Black is honoured. Congrats to Joseph Yobo on a bold and brilliant career. #MadeOfBlack #YoboTestimonial pic.twitter.com/0QC5j2mbim
— Guinness Nigeria (@GuinnessNGR) May 27, 2016

My Coach at @Everton, David Moyes is in town. He must be so proud of his first signing! #YoboTestimonial pic.twitter.com/fClgeFKwEW

— Joseph Yobo (@jyobo234) May 27, 2016

Joseph Yobo, who made the announcement of his retirement from international football in 2014, remains Nigeria’s most capped footballer with 101 appearances since he made his debut in 2001.
The stage has been set for the international players to thrill the fans who will join in celebrating the retiring player.

Africa’s youngest billionaire, Okwudili Umenyiora enjoys family vacation in Asia

Wonder what it’s like to go on family vacation with the Umenyioras?

The CEO Of Dilly Motors and Eric Many Entertainment is one of Nigeria’s youngest billionaires. His wife, Fifi is a premium fashion lover and Instagram celeb that regularly gives her followers a sneak peek into their rich and fabulous lifestyle.
The latest take is that the family fled Lagos’s warm weather to enjoy a vacation in far away Thailand, this week, and quite frankly, it looks like they’re having a whole lot of fun.





Apart from vacation, they are also in Thai to celebrate the first wedding anniversary of Leila Lopes and Osi Umenyiora .

Empress Njamah Shows Kids Love On Children’s Day

It has come and gone but the memories of the fun and entertainment jamboree that clouded the evening still lingers as celebrities and kids celebrated the children’s day in style.

Popular Nollywood actress Empress Njamah hosted over 1,300 Children from House of Empress Foundation and different orphanage homes, schools, college of blind and less privileged abodes to a mouthwatering celebration that pulled headline celebrities, beauty queens and top showbiz personalities.

Several activities were held as the event lasted, some of which are kiddies games, beauty queens and celebrities football match, dance performances and comedy presentations in the open air field where the actress foundation provided a lot of food items, school materials and souvenirs for the kids.

‎It is worthy to note that House of Empress Njamah Foundation which recently celebrated its 10th year anniversary of charity in Lagos which recorded huge success will stage another self- funded 28th May celebration otherwise known as Children’s day on Saturday in Abuja. The preparation for the most anticipated children’s day event which the foundation will be hosting to honour kids has reached the advanced stage with a free entry access.

Nollywood star, Stella Damasus’ daughter awarded US President’s Award

Veteran Nollywood actress, Stella Damasus is proud of her daughter, Angelica Aboderin.

Her smart daughter was recently awarded the President’s award for Educational Excellence in America.
Stella who shared the news on Instagram wrote: –
“I am so super proud of my daughter Angelica for her huge academic achievement. She received the Presidents’ Award for Educational Excellence in America. Thank you for darling for making me so proud. Isabel & I are proud of you. I am so happy to have two of the most intelligent daughters any mother can hope or pray. #ProudMom #education #excellence #presidentsawardforacademicexcellence #america #smartkids #Godisgood #beautyforashes #Godvindicates #happymom #academic #award”

Did Janet Jackson have kids decades ago and put them up for adoption?

Veteran American singer, Janet Jackson has had her secrets exposed.

Her ex husband, James DeBarge, alleges that the singer has two secret love children which she put up for adoption.

DeBarge claims that the 50-year-old star who is now expecting her first child with Qatari business magnate husband, Wissam Al Mana, hid the pregnancies from him back in the 1980’s before giving the children up for adoption.

Speaking with the National Enquirer in a recent interview, DeBarge said:

“I hadn’t known [that Janet had a baby] – not for sure.

“Someone went through some serious changes to make it impossible for me to find the truth.”

DeBarge goes on to claim that one of the children who is now a woman in her 30’s, had contacted him two years ago but they are yet to meet in person.

DeBarge had been married to Janet between 1984 – 1985, before she had married Al Mana in 2012.

Lil Kesh: “My dad is always on my social media pages checking for updates”

Young talented Nigerian singer, Lil Kesh is now a bonafide record label owner.

After rounding up his 2 years contracts with YBNL, he went on to start his own label.
Lil Kesh has now revealed that his father is a supporter of his chosen career.
He mentioned in a recent post that his father does check his page for updates.
In his words:
“posting this picture just because I know my dad will come to check my page for updates.”

Calls For Probe Of APC’s Campaign Funds Misplaced- Oyegun

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted calls for probe into the funding of its presidential campaign in 2015, which brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power.
The calls were made by a section of Nigerians against the backdrop of probe of the source of funding of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which was ousted from power last year by the APC.
Specifically, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that $2.1 billion originally meant for arms purchase to fight Boko Haram in the Northeast, was diverted by the former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, to fund the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The immediate past Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, is also being probed by the anti-graft agency for allegedly distributing $115 million (N23 billion) during the election.
Already, the EFCC has filed several cases against Mr. Dasuki and several other PDP chieftains, accused of benefitting from the largesse, which came from the treasury.
However, some Nigerians have said for the anti-corruption campaign of the present administration to be regarded as impartial and all encompassing, the funding of APC’s presidential campaign should also be scrutinized by the anti-graft agency.
For instance, former Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organization and Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has been accused by the PDP of using Rivers State money to oil the political machinery of the Buhari campaign.
Mr. Amaechi, who was Rivers Governor, spearheaded the APC presidential campaign that defeated Mr. Jonathan and PDP in the 2015 presidential campaign.
Speaking on “The Encounter with Constance Ikowu”, a programme on WEFM, the national chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun said that it was wrong to ask the EFCC to investigate the sources of funding for the APC campaign because unlike the PDP, his party did not use public money to fund its presidential election.
He said, “You are comparing apples and grapes. It is the people’s money. You can’t use the money of the people to run parties and so the APC today is suffering from that basic correct policy decision.
“But campaign funds cannot come from the monies that belong to the generality of Nigerians.
“Individuals can donate, and companies can donate subject to limits that the law provides. We are not touching those. But where you take monies meant for positioning troops in the North East to fight against Boko Haram to fund parties (and) the most recent – when you take our crude, gave unregistered crude to exporters, repatriate the proceeds and use them to finance your political campaigns – that is wrong. That is impunity at its worst. So they are not comparable”.
Stating that the PDP campaign funds being investigated by the EFCC was “just a tip of the iceberg”, Mr. Oyegun clarified that the Buhari-led APC administration was not probing the donations individuals made to the PDP during the polls, but the utilization of public funds.
“So don’t link it with the PDP because it has nothing to do with the PDP”, he stressed.
The APC national chairman said the Buhari administration was trying to lay down principles which must be followed by all with a view to removing impunity in governance.
“We are laying down the principles that must be established in this nation. What is going on now is just a tip of the iceberg. There are certain basic principles we must establish in this nation”.
Oyegun also revealed that there were serving APC governors and ex-governors under investigation currently but not in connection with campaign funding as was the case of the PDP.
He, however, stressed that President Buhari would not shield any of the governors if they were found to have used public monies to fund campaigns.
“As at today, of course there are APC governors and ex governors that are under investigation, maybe not in respect or specifically campaign funds, but there are”, said Mr. Oyegun.
“The basic principle is – impunity must be removed from the system and wherever the tree falls, so let it be!
“I am sure that if that happens, the kind of president that we have will look the other way. Normal process must take its course”.
On calls for the arrest of Mr. Jonathan, the APC national chairman “I cannot speak for the government; I can speak for the party. Wherever the tree falls so be it. I don’t think it will get to that. What is important is that if you receive stolen goods…..”

Niger Delta Avengers Blow Up NNPC Pipeline, Vow More Attacks

iel 3 hours ago

The Niger Delta Avengers, a new militant group demanding a sovereign state of the Niger Delta, on Friday said its fighters had blown up a large gas and crude pipeline operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) near Warri, Delta State late Thursday.
The militant group said it was able to achieve this feat despite the fact that the pipeline was protected by soldiers – an apparent attempt to mock the capacity of the Nigerian military to prevent the attack.
The Avengers announced the attack via its Twitter handle.
“At 11:45pm on Thursday.@NDAvengers blew up other #NNPC Gas and Crude trunkline close to Warri. Pipeline that was heavily guarded by Military”, the group tweeted. There was no independent confirmation of the incident as at the time of publishing this report.
The Avengers, which has claimed responsibility for several attacks on critical oil and gas infrastructure in the Niger Delta since February, 2016 had rejected a meeting recently convened in Abuja by the federal government, saying it was out to secure self-rule for people of the oil-rich region.
It also warned of its readiness to carry out an attack that it claimed will “shock the whole world”.
“The Niger Delta stakeholder’s meeting is an insult to the people of Niger Delta. What we need is a Sovereign State not pipeline Contracts.
“To the IOC’s, Indigenous Oil Companies and Nigeria Military. Watch out something big is about to happen and it will shock the whole world”, the group tweeted on Friday.

Reekado Banks Set to Release His Debut Album

Mavin Records Boss, Don Jazzy, has announced via his social media handle that his fast rising act, Reekado Banks will be dropping his debut album this year.

In another tweet, the ‘Dorobucci’ boss tagged the highly anticipated release an “Album wey go burst brain!”

Recall, Reekado Banks had ushered us into 2016 with controversy after winning the Headies Next Rated award 2015 over Lil Kesh. The highly publicized beef was the first among many others that has characterized the year.

Reekado’s breakthrough came during a Mavin Records audition where he was chosen out of over 5,000 hopefuls.
Since then, the dreadlocked act, now popular for his hit songs, “Katapot” and “Oluwa Ni” credited this triumph to God. In his words, “There is no amount of sacrifice that was enough to get me something this big.”

Osaze Odemwingie celebrates his 4th Wedding Anniversary as He expects Baby No. 3

Former Super Eagles forward, Peter Odemwingie and his wife celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary yesterday May 26, 2016.

The former West Brom striker took to twitter to share a photo of them both and wrote, “Our 4th anniversary today. Love my wife, mum of my two boys and our little princess due in October!”

Born by a Nigerian father and a Uzbekistani mother, Osaze made his international debut as a substitute in a match between Nigeria and South Africa some years ago.
Happy wedding anniversary to them.