Nigerians begin payment of £3,000 bond by Nov on uk visa

OUTCRY against its £3,000 tourists visa bond notwithstanding, Britain will commence the scheme in the six listed Commonwealth countries in November,Financial Times report quoted the Home Office as saying. The Commonwealth countries to be affected by the policy which was announced in June are Nigeria, India, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The affected countries are considered to be source of “high risk” tourists to the UK. Some visitors from the six countries, under the scheme, will be asked to pay a £3,000 cash bond in return for visitor visas that allow them to stay in the UK for up to six months. According to official data, these six countries accounted for more than half a million visa applications in 2012. There have been outpours of anger by governments of the affected countries, especially Nigeria and India against the policy. A protest in India last month forced the British Prime Minister David Cameron to declare that final decision had not been taken on the policy, while the Nigerian government asked Britain to renounce the scheme. The Federal Government, through the Foreign Affairs minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, had in June expressed “the strong displeasure of the government and people of Nigeria” over the “discriminatory” policy. Ashiru warned British High Commissioner Andrew Pocock at a meeting in the minister’s office in Abuja, barely 24 hours after the policy was announced, that the move would “definitely negate” the two country’s commitment to double trade by 2014. The minister told the British diplomat that Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, had “a responsibility to take appropriate measures to protect the interest of Nigerians who may be affected by the proposed policy, if finally introduced.” The British High Commission in Nigeria after the meeting issued a statement quoting Pocock as saying that his government planned to undertake “a very small scale trial of the use of financial bonds as a way of tackling abuse in the immigration system (which occurs when some people overstay their visa terms).” He said that the details of the pilot scheme were still being worked out and if it goes ahead in Nigeria, it would affect only a very small number of the “highest risk” visitors. “The vast majority would not be required to pay a bond. Those paying bonds would receive the bond back, if they abided by the terms of their visa,” he said. More than 180, 000 Nigerians apply to visit Britain each year and about 70 percent or around 125, 000 of these applicants are successful, he said. A Home Office official said the six countries highlighted were those with “the most significant risk of abuse” The Home Office said on Friday that only individuals deemed “high-risk” would be asked to pay the bond. But some officials admits that the mere mention of a bond would be enough to deter visitors. “In the long run, we are interested in a system of bonds that deters overstaying and recovers costs if a foreign national has used our public services,” an unnamed Home Office official said. Ashiru said on Sunday that the UK embassy had not communicated to his office the plan to commence the bond scheme. ““They have not communicated with me,” the minister said when The PUNCH sought his reaction to the latest development. In the UK, luxury goods retailers have denounced the plan as an “insulting deterrent” to wealthy tourists, which will hit sales and damage London’s reputation. They are urging the government to drop the pilot, saying the restrictions will damage their business if Commonwealth tourists – particularly Nigerians, now the sixth biggest spenders on luxury goods in the UK – are put off. “It’s embarrassing that our country would consider these measures against visitors who spend so much in our stores,” Managing Director of Harrods, Michael Ward, said . “There seems to be a deeply frustrating attitude in Westminster that they should do whatever they can to actively prevent people coming to the UK,” Ward added. Harrods is reputed to be the biggest department store in Europe, occupying a five-acre site in the royal precinct in London. Culled: Punchng

BMW car gift to Doyin Okupe from Pres. Jonathan for job well done!

Dr. Doyin Okupe, also known as ” Attack Lion ” received a brand-new bimmer (BMW car) from president Goodluck Jonathan. For all his ‘attacking’ against perceived opponents of President GEJ The new ride is already working wonders and Mr. okupe who recently went into recess on the account of low patronage from the presidency has resumed his full attacking role. Culled: Osun Defender

Amendment of constitution: Nigerian legislators are predators – Santos

A Human Right Activist and Lecturer in the Department of History and International Studies, University of Jos, Santos Larab has described members of the National Assembly, especially the Senate as predators who always want to benefit from the laws they make. He stated this in an exclusive chat with Dailypost in Jos, while reacting to the Senate’s controversial underage marriage proposal, single tenure and other issues, in the ongoing constitutional amendment. According to him, “When you make a law, you are not suppose to benefit from it, but because of the predatory nature of our legislators, they make laws that will benefit them and allow sentiments to override their sense of reasoning. He added that, “They take their decisions on issues that will benefit them. The single tenure they rejected, was because most of them are nursing the ambition of becoming governors or the President of the country come 2015. “They will be affected, because they want to enjoy the two terms. But again, you find out the problem has been compounded by the sitting President, who also wants to benefit. On the pension being advocated for the Senate leaders, he said, “Imagine the Senate leaders demanding for pension. How long have they worked to deserve pension? If you work in the civil service for certain number of years, then you are entitled to pension. How do you now compare the kind of payment the Senate leaders get with that of the civil servants? He asked, “How many of them were earning the kind of salary they are earning now, before they became Senators? They are now making laws. In order to steal from the poor. He added that, “This is a Senate that is only interested in what benefits it. By the time the Senate leaders succeed, the members will also demand for pension. Speaking on the underage marriage saga, the Lecturer said, “I’m disappointed in the Senate President. They have given Sani Yerima so much leverage and he is becoming a god in the Senate; he picks his personal misbehaviour and brings it into limelight. Further Lamenting, he said, “For God’s sake, if it were his daughter, would he give her out for marriage at the age of two or eleven? We sign laws about child right, sexual harassment, issues of early marriages, VVF and the rest. But it’s unfortunate. He further asked, “If it were their daughters, would they pass this proposal having the majority? Santos call on women and all those who believe that children should have rights, should rise to the occasion and challenge this “animalistic” law. He called on the House of Representatives to turn around what the Senate has done. The University Lecturer further decried that, if a girl is given out for marriage at such tender age, such a girl is being deprived of education, family love and the aspect of becoming mature and growing into adulthood. “At what point would you say the girl made her own decision when someone is making decision on her behalf, not minding how she feels?”. He maintained that since 1999 to date, the lawmakers have not represented Nigerians concretely, especially in the aspect of constitutional amendment.

THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have a new baby..prince of Cambridge

THE Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have left St Mary's Hospital in London following the arrival of their son. They welcomed their first child, the Prince of Cambridge, at 4.24pm yesterday. "He's a big boy, he's quite heavy - we're still working on a name. He's got a good pair of lungs on him!" said the Duke outside the hospital. "I'll remind him of his tardiness when he gets a bit older, I know how long you've all been waiting - hopefully you can all get back to normal now." The Duchess said that she was feeling "very emotional" adding: "Any parent would know what this feels like." The Duke then joked about the abundance of hair on his son's head, saying: "He's got more than me, thank god!" He also added that he thought the baby had inherited his mother's looks ("no, no, I'm not sure about that," interjected Kate) as well as proudly claiming to have changed the baby's first nappy, with the Duchess concurring: "He was very good." The couple urged the public to donate any gifts to local children's charities or to the Imperial College Healthcare Charity - the foundation of St Mary's Hospital.

It was indeed a shocker when in the early hours of Monday, July 15, 2013 it was widely reported that actress Funke Akindele and her husband Kehinde Almaroof Oloyede are no longer together. What started on blogs and social media soon spread to national newspapers. Akindele remained silent for days, and many fans hoped this was yet another wicked rumour. But to the disappointment of her fans, the actress emerged in the evening of Friday July 19 to confirm she’s actually separated from her husband of one year Kehinde ‘Almaroof’ Oloyede. Nigeria’s most talked-about wedding of 2012 is over. Gone, in one year, and on record as one of the country’s shortest celeb marriages ever. NET investigations reveal that the estranged couple’s problems started months ago and got to its peak only a few weeks before the Facebook announcement by Oloyede. While Funke Akindele was trying to achieve a quiet separation and eventual divorce with little or no public coverage, hubby Oloyede took to social media to broadcast the break-up. He wrote, ‘It’s with heavy heart that am announcing the separation of me and ma wife Mrs olufunke akindele, we’ve both agreed to go our separate ways coz of irreconcilable differences. we still best of friends nd we 4ever remain gud friends. Am doing just fine, gettn along without u, don’t need u anymore in ma life. u d greatest mistake av made in recent time.’ Funke’s decision to marry the real estate businessman in 2012, was severely criticised by her fans and the media who wondered why she should get involved in polygamy. She rebuffed critics and went on to have one of the most glamourous weddings of last year on May 26, 2012, leaving days later for a honeymoon in the UK.

Amaechi claimed that Mr President is running a ‘one-man show’ in PDP

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of turning the Peoples Democratic Party into a “one-man show” and of condoning “impunity and authoritarianism” in an effort to ensure re-election in 2015. Amaechi, in an interview he granted theFinancial Times of London, added that the President and his wife, Patience, were bent on removing him from office. He traced his travails to a perceived fear in the Presidency that whoever was in charge of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum had the capacity to influence the presidential election in 2015. The embattled governor said, “There is this fear in the Presidential Villa that whoever chairs the governors’ forum will influence the presidential election,” Amaechi told FT in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. In a report posted by FT on Sunday, he alleged that “what has happened has been engineered to the point where the President and his wife are trying to remove me from office.” “We are seeing an absence of law and order that can breed anarchy. It seems those at Federal Government level are not interested in democracy, but impunity and authoritarianism. The President needs to check this,” the governor added. Amaechi also told the FT that he had not decided on his plans for 2015. He said that efforts by some in the PDP leadership to claim that he had lost the governors’ forum vote, despite him obtaining 19 votes to his challenger’s (Jonah Jang of Plateau State) 16, was a concerning sign ahead of 2015. “If they can accept 16 over 19, people should be worried,” he said. But spokesman for the President, Reuben Abati, denied that Jonathan and his wife were in any way involved in Amaechi’s travails. “This is all local Rivers politics,” Abati said. “It’s convenient to drag the President into this, but it is not true. All these allegations are baseless.” Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command and the state government on Sunday traded words on the whereabouts of the the Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Mr. Chidi Lloyd. Lloyd was last week declared wanted by the police command a few hours before Force headquarters in Abuja invited him for allegedly attacking another lawmaker with a mace during the free-for-all in the Assembly. The fracas was caused by an attempt by five lawmakers loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike to unseat the speaker. While the state government claimed that the Police knew where to find the embattled lawmaker, the spokesperson for the command, said they would not have declared him wanted if they knew where to locate him. Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha, who accused the police of bias in handling the crisis, said they (police) were free to search the Government House for Lloyd. He said, “Lloyd is not in Government House. He has been receiving treatment since the incident in the House of Assembly. I am sure that the police know where he is. You can see how one-sided they (police) are. “Even when Evans Bipi was the first to hit Chidi Lloyd, the only person declared wanted is Lloyd. We saw a video clip where Bipi was boasting that he hit Chidi Lloyd. We also heard how he dealt Ngo, a lawmaker in the House a blow. “We are shocked that nobody is inviting them (Bipi and four other anti-Rotimi Amaechi lawmakers) for interrogation. In the matter, there must be what we call cause and effect relationship. Bipi was the first to hit Lloyd before he (Lloyd) retaliated.” Okocha however said the government was ready to embrace anything that would ensure that peace reigned in the state. The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Angela Agabe, however, said it was wrong for any person to insinuate that the police knew the whereabouts of the Majority Leader. Agabe, who spoke with The PUNCH said that the police were not biased in handling of the matter. “If the police knew where Chidi Lloyd is, they (police) would not have declared him wanted. The search for the lawmaker over the assault on a fellow member is still on,” she explained. The PDP in the state had earlier accused Governor Amaechi of hiding Lloyd in the Government House. A statement by the Special Adviser to the state party Chairman, Mr. Jerry Needam, called on the government to hand over Lloyd to the police for investigation. “The Rivers State Governor knows where Lloyd, declared wanted by the police is hiding. We call on the state government to hand him over to the police for investigation,” Needam said. Also on Sunday, the Action Congress of Nigeria accused the PDP of being unrelenting in its determination to overheat the polity and set the country on fire . In a statement in Lagos on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the ACN said it was left with no choice than to reach that conclusion after a faction of Rivers PDP reportedly loyal to President Jonathan expelled Amaechi, at a time all people of goodwill were calling for a resolution of the state’s lingering crisis. It warned that since PDP ‘s sole interest was power and not the responsibility that goes with it, it must be checked through all constitutional means before it plunges the country into chaos. The ACN said one of the reasons Amaechi had been targeted by his “all-powerful enemies”, who have used national institutions – including the police – against him, was his strenuous defence of the NGF.

22-Year Old Ezinne Akudo Wins Miss Nigeria 2013

22 year old Ezinne Akudo law graduate of Abia State University went home with N3million a brand new car, and a trip to California after emerge as the winner 2013 Miss Nigeria at the contest that held yesterday at Intercontinental hotel, Lagos.Congrats Ezinne Akudo

Juliet Ibrahim vs Jackie Appiah who is the Prettiest?

The two actresses were recently spotted together. Beauties I must say. Milk or chocolate..Who’s your favorite

Nollywood Actress Chika Ike Rocking Her New Look

Chika Ike,Nollywood actress and Refugee ambassador, rocking her new look in a photoshoot for fashion magazine

Nigerian Author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s won the 2013 Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize

winning is all she does and there is no way the world won’t know her value. Nigerian Author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s third novel “Americanah” has just won the 2013 Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize for fiction. Late Elizerbeth Taylor, the then literary editor for the Chicago Tribune had said, “We loved Americanah. It’s a powerful, resonant novel and we would be delighted to celebrate it and try to share it with a wider audience,” The Heartland Prize was created in 1988 by the Chicago Tribune Newspaper to award annually, fiction and non-fiction books that are concerned with American issues, causes and worries. The popular author expressed her joy on receiving the good news stating that, “You never know what will happen when you write a novel. And for me, a Nigerian, to have written this book which is partly about America, and to receive this quintessentially American prize means that I have said something about America as seen through Nigerian eyes that Americans find interesting. I take that as a wonderful compliment. It reminds me of the ability of literature to make us become briefly alive in bodies not our own.” “I am very pleased” she concluded. Past fiction winners of The Heartland Prize include Jonathan France for his novel “Freedom” and Marilyn ne Robinson for her novel “Gilead”. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie will be receiving her prize on November 3, 2013 at the Chicago Humanities Festival in Chicago.

The Only African Footballer Riding A Bugatti Veyron-Samuel Eto’o

He’s got a Bugatti and still lives this big? Well, Love him or Love his Ride, Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o Fils is an epitome of hard work and Success in his generation. He is the most decorated player in Africa – winning the African Player of the Year Awards four times. He is married to ex model Georgette and they have two kids and treats his family as priority at all times. Wanna know how he got this rich and famous? Samuel dropped out of school to train with the Kadji Sports Academy in Douala when he was just 14 and then got into the Indomitable Lions squad at just 19. Since then, it’s been France, Spain, Italy and now, Russia. From every club he played, he left a deep impact as a black player and made a lot of dough from his more than 200 goals he scored on the pitch. For an African, that was incredible especially winning the ‘Pitchichi” (highest goal scorer) in Spain. Are you jealous? Try harder! Eto’o stands the second highest earning athlete in the world (2nd to Tiger Woods) and he is the highest paid player in the world raking in 35.7 million pounds each year excluding off-field earnings. Meaning dude is worth more than these figures putting all his endorsements and other businesses together. OMG!

What does he spend all that cash on? Plenty! Eto’o owns asserts both home and abroad. He treats his dear wife with the finest things in life including expensive shopping sprays in Paris, Milan and New York. Need I remind you, his outfits are never cheap? Neither are his kids’. He travels far and wide too in first class and built a multimillion dollar mansion in Cameroon. He owns a multi-million dollar mobile network – Set Mobile and a clothing line on the way. He also runs a football school in his home country and enjoys putting millions into charity too. Are you still guessing what could be in his garage? Here is where the Anzhi Makhachkala striker balls the mulla. Eto’o rides the world’s most expensive car – A Bugatti Veyron and stands the only African footballer who actually owns one. Among the fleet, you can definitely fine a Ferrari, a Bentley, A Lamborghini, a hummer jeep, a Porch and a family bus. He doesn’t purchase the wheels for himself alone, almost every member in his nuclear family rides in something big!

Should we stop here? Maybe! This may appear offensive to some who can’t spray cash in this manner but the next time you mention a Bugatti, this is what you may hear, “I woke up in a new Bugatti…” In Ace Wood’s Voice. Dream big people coz Samuel Eto’o Fils also had a dream one time and didn’t stop there, he made it come true through hard work, focus, persistence, patience, humility and Jesus. Don’t ever forget that!

Former South African President Nelson Mandela 'Steadily Improving' On 95th Birthday

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa celebrated Nelson Mandela's 95th birthday with acts of charity on Thursday, a milestone capped by news that the former president's health was improving after fears that he was close to death during ongoing hospital treatment. "He continues to respond positively to treatment and we are encouraged by the progress he is making," President Jacob Zuma said after visiting Mandela. A statement from Zuma's office said Mandela was steadily improving. "We are proud to call this international icon our own as South Africans and wish him good health," Zuma said in the statement. He thanked South Africans for supporting Mandela during his hospitalization with "undying love and compassion" and responding to a call to give the beloved figure "the biggest birthday celebration ever this year." The anti-apartheid leader was taken to a Pretoria hospital on June 8 for treatment for a recurring lung infection. In previous announcements, the government said he was in critical but stable condition. Court documents filed by Mandela's family earlier this month had said Mandela was on life support. Mandela is making "remarkable progress," said one of his daughters, Zindzi, on Thursday, after tense weeks in which some South Africans talked about the possibility that Mandela was on the verge of dying. "We look forward to having him back at home soon," the South African Press Association quoted Zindzi Mandela as saying during the government rollout of a digital ID card system. Ndileka Mandela, a granddaughter of Mandela, poured soup for poor children at a charity event and said her family had been unsure about whether her grandfather would live to see his birthday. "But because of the fighter that he is, he was able to fight a repressive system, and he was able, through God and everybody's prayers, to make it today," she said. Thursday also marked the 15th wedding anniversary of Mandela and Graca Machel, the former First Lady of Mozambique who has spent much of the time at her husband's side during his illness. Many South Africans volunteered 67 minutes for charity to match what organizers said were the 67 years of public service by Mandela, leader of the fight against white minority rule. "We don't only recognize him on this day. We put smiles on other people's faces, we donate to other people less fortunate," Thato Williams, a 13-year-old student, said during an assembly in Mandela's honor at Melpark Primary School in Johannesburg. Some 700 students there sang "Happy Birthday" in a hall filled with posters created to honor Mandela's contributions to peace and education. President Zuma opened low-cost housing for poor black and white families in the Pretoria area. South Africa is struggling with high unemployment, labor unrest, service delivery shortcomings and other social challenges that have dampened the expectations of a better life for black South Africans after the end of apartheid two decades ago. Retired archbishop Desmond Tutu helped to paint a school outside Cape Town, saying Mandela makes South Africans "walk tall" and urging compatriots to refrain from divisive behavior. Elsewhere, social workers, military commanders and private company employees others planted trees, cleaned classrooms and donated food, blankets and other basic necessities in poor areas. Doctors administered eye tests, inoculations and other medical treatments. Visiting Pretoria, European Union President Herman Van Rompuy packed food parcels and said his two sons were fans of Mandela, whom he described as "the brightest sun of South Africa." The U.N has declared July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day as a way of recognizing the Nobel Peace Prize winner's contribution to reconciliation. A procession was held in India to honor Mandela. In Washington, U.S. congressional leaders planned a ceremony later Thursday. Mandela was jailed for 27 years under apartheid and led a difficult transition from apartheid to democracy, becoming president in all-race elections in 1994. He served one five-year term, evolving into a global statesman and pursuing charitable causes after that. He retired from public life years ago. "South Africa is a better place today than it was in 1994 and this is because of the contribution made by Madiba and his collective," the ruling African National Congress, once led by Mandela, said in a statement. The ANC was the leading liberation movement during apartheid, and has dominated politics since the end of white rule. However, it has come under increasing criticism because of corruption scandals and frustration over poverty and other problems. In recent months, the ANC and opposition groups have sought to emphasize their connections to Mandela's legacy in the fight for democracy, leading to accusations of political opportunism on both sides. F.W. de Klerk, the last president of the apartheid era, said in a statement that Mandela's birthday "should be a time for quiet and respectful contemplation – and not for unseemly squabbling over the ownership of Mr Mandela's heritage." He continued: "Throughout his life he has been a loyal and stalwart member of the ANC – but I believe that through his example and through his unwavering commitment to national reconciliation – all South Africans, regardless of their race or political affiliation, can now proudly call him their own." De Klerk shared the Nobel prize with Mandela in 1993 because he effectively negotiated his own government out of power, working on a political transition with Mandela that allayed fears of all-out racial conflict. Mandela's former wife said she wanted to reassure South Africans who fear the eventual death of Mandela, a unifying figure, would open the way to unrest. "There are sometimes prophets of doom who say the country will come to a standstill," said Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, herself a prominent figure in the anti-apartheid movement, in an interview with South Africa's Radio 702. However, she said: "The country will solidify, come together and carry on." ___ Associated Press writer Wandoo Makurdi contributed to this report from Johannesburg.

Manager Brendan Rodgers announced,Suarez not for sale

Luis Suarez Liverpool's star striker is not for sale, manager Brendan Rodgers announce on Thursday, after the club reportedly turned down a 30 million ($45 million) offer from Arsenal. The 26 year old Suarez, has three years left on his contract with Liverpool, and the controversial Uruguayan will spend the first six games of the next season on the bench for biting. Nonetheless, Arsenal and Real Madrid are believed to have made bids for the striker, whose floor price is set at 40 million by Liverpool. "We had an offer that came to the club, but it was nowhere near the value and worth of what we feel that Luis brings," Rodgers told reporters, without confirming who made the deal. "There's been a lot of speculation over the summer with regard to Luis moving to all different clubs. But in this moment in time, he's very much a Liverpool player," Rodgers said in the Indonesian capital Jakarta ahead of a weekend friendly. Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, also in Jakarta for a friendly last week that ended in a 7-0 victory for his team, was tight-lipped when asked about a bid for Suarez, but said he hoped "to be in a position where we can answer this question". Last month Suarez, who was banned for racist abuse in 2011, admitted it would be difficult to turn down an offer from Spanish giants Real Madrid. British media has reported a recent offer of 25 million by the Spanish club. "He's very much a Liverpool player, unless something drastic happens that would make us even consider it. As I see him, Suarez has three years left on his contract," Rodgers said, naming the player "one of the top strikers in world football". He refused to comment on speculation that the Reds were eyeing Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney for transfer. Losing Suarez would be a blow to the team and Rodgers, who has vowed to revamp the squad and qualify for the Champions League, which it failed to do last term. "The great name of Liverpool as a club and the history of the club dictates we should be in (the Champions League)," Rodgers said. "There's no other measure for us. The challenge is very, very difficult because of the competitors now in England. There are so many more teams with other finances," he said. "But for us, we have to continue to fight and I believe we can put up a great fight this year." Liverpool will play an Indonesian all-star team Saturday in an exhibition match.

My marriage is cool ...Funke Akindele

Yesterday the Star actress Funke Akindele, broke her silence on her failed marriage rumour. My marriage is intact, she said in an SMS message to The Nation. The message reads: “I read in the newspaper yesterday that I am divorced. What proof do you have? And I am taking this to court because my marriage is intact. You guys are rumour mongers. Funke Akindele Oloyede.” The Nation on Tuesday reported that the actress may have been separated from her husband, Alhaji Kehinde Oloyede, son of former Iyaloja of Oshodi market. Oloyede on Monday announced a “separation” via his facebook page. He said: “It is with heavy heart that I am announcing the separation of me and my wife, Mrs Olufunke Akindele. We have both agreed to go our separate ways because of irreconcilable differences. We are still best of friends and we would forever remain good friends.” The statement, which the actress’ husband has since deleted from his facebook wall, generated concerns among the star’s fans, who made the issue a major topic on social media platforms. Attempts to reach the actress on Monday failed. Her elder sister, who doubles as her spokesperson, Mrs Ayo-Ola Muhammed, failed to make an official statement she promised when contacted because, according to reports, the actress asked that no statement be made on the issue. Mrs Muhammed debunked an online report claiming that she confirmed the separation to a notable blogger in Nigeria. Reports say her husband may have removed the “notice of separation,” including a more defiance follow-up post from his facebook wall, due to pressure from friends and family members. The actress is said to have been crying inconsolably since the incident, fearing criticisms by her fans and her clients’ reactions. Funke, a film producer and ambassador of several brands, including telecommunications giant, Globacom, got married to Oloyede 14 months ago in a grand ceremony held in Lagos. Funke’s decision to marry the real estate business man, was severely criticised by her fans who wondered why she should get involved in polygamy. She rebuffed critics on one occasion, saying: “I can tell you authoritatively that my husband is not married to anyone else. Yes, he has beautiful children, who are not mine and we have a cordial relationship, which dates back to even before we got married.” On another occasion, she told her critics: “Will you be happier if I had married someone who didn’t have children, seems so perfect, put on my make-up and fake smile on the red carpet and start weeping when I get home? About my in-laws, they are very wonderful and supportive and my parents and siblings as well. ” Funke and husband are known to be living separately since they got married. Oloyede is said to visit Funke occasionally. Story of Oloyede’s last child by another woman came about the same time that the rumour of Funke’s pregnancy went viral on social media. The actress was later said to have a miscarriage. Meanwhile, apart from deleting the statement from his facebook wall, Oloyede is yet to refute the announcement in any way.

Femi Otedola’s daughter debuts with ‘I love my country’

The billionaire femi otedola daughter born in 1992 and formerly known as DJ Cupcake, Florence ‘Cuppy’ began by playing the Piano after which she ventured into beat-making and thereafter DJing in the UK. She calls this new sound Neo-Afrobeats, a genre of music, which blends Electric House with Afro-beats. Listen to her debut single titled ‘I love my country’ which she says was written by Wole Soyinka.

Glo supports African Fashion Week London with mega sponsorship deal

Globacom has thrown its weight behind the forthcoming African Fashion Week holding in London, United Kingdom, between 1st and 4th August, 2013. The African Fashion Week London (AFWL) is a collaborative fashion and arts exhibition that will showcase the best of African fashion, as over 100 top designers from the continent and beyond showcase their designs and products. According to the organisers, it has over time become the biggest African inspired fashion event of its kind in the UK and Europe, and it aims to promote the works of Africa and African inspired designers and fine artists globally. The fashion week will also be an opportunity to showcase Africa’s rich socio-cultural heritage in general, and Nigeria’s rising fashion pedigree in particular. Globacom is sponsoring the event to help promote and sustain African fashion and cultural heritage. “As a truly Nigerian company operating within the African continent, Globacom will continue to be associated with the development of African work of art, literature, fashion and culture”, the company said. Globacom, therefore, called on all Africans in London, and Europe to troop out in large numbers to the venue of the event to experience the best of African designs on the runway. Organisers of the show said a series of activities and performances have been lined up to make the African Fashion Week London an exciting one.

Funke Akindele marrige is threatened

Star actress, Funke Akindele’s one year old marriage to Kehinde Adeola Oloyede is currently threatened. And if what her hubby’s message on Facebook early today is anything to go by, the marriage might have collapsed irreconcilably. Early this morning, Kehinde Adeola Oloyede wrote on his Facebook account via his Blackberry 10, “It’s with heavy heart that am announcing the separation of me nd ma wife Mrs olufunke akindele,we’ve both agreed to go our separate ways coz of irreconcilable differences.we still best of friends nd we 4ever remain gud friends.” Though the couple are said to have been enjoying best of time until early this year, the two have consistently put up a good and perfect appearance of a perfect couple. Even though the actress tries hard to take her marriage away from her career, inside sources maintained it was just a faced to direct people’s attention away from her marriage. However sources from the families maintained that a strong committee have been formed to wade into the matter and resolve the issues that might have caused the problem between the couple. In the last few months, the Jenifa star has been busy at several movie locations. Disclaimer (I went through Kehinde Almaroof’s facebook page to get a screen shot of the post but I didn’t see such post…it’s either he deleted it or the story is false)…I hope Funke sees this on time to release a statement… Source: Pakurumo.com