Pastor chris chills with ex president Obasanjo and Gov Uduaghan on his birthday

what a great day to celebrate an icon, a mentor, a dispensation, a teacher, the God sent and a man of God

A Flight Diversion

LAGOS, Nigeria — I was woken by the pilot’s voice. In the drowsy hum of the airplane, his words crackled, and I thought I heard something about preparing to land. Could I have slept so long? I looked at the time. It was only three hours into the Lagos-to-Atlanta flight. The flight attendants were hurrying back and forth. The pilot was still speaking. “We have an emergency onboard, and we have had to divert the flight to Dakar.” I could feel the plane descending. It seemed too fast. A sweeping hollowness. My fog of sleep cleared instantly. Something was wrong, the pilot was too cryptic, the flight attendants too blank-faced, snatching up cups, urging seats straight. I thought: If I die, I hope it’s quick and I don’t know.

The woman beside me crossed herself. Then the pilot’s voice came back on. It was a medical emergency, he said; a pregnant passenger went into early labor and had just had a baby. I sensed, around me, a collective hush of relief and wonder. A baby delivered on the plane! We landed in Dakar. It was 2 a.m. Medical personnel in orange vests hurried in, a man carrying a black box, a lanky woman dragging an IV stand, their eyes heavy with sleep. I wondered what the baby would need, and if they had what the baby would need.

Soon, the lanky woman left, cradling a bundle wrapped in cloth. The baby. I strained to see better, hoped I would hear it cry. Then the new mother emerged, a young woman with a tube dangling from her arm, and behind her came the other medical worker, trying to support her. But she didn’t need him. She strode past, straight and steady, so quick that I caught only a glimpse of her face. She looked stunned and frustrated. It seemed even more of a wonder to me, not only that she had just had a baby in midair but that there she was on her feet, normal and capable.

The pilot came out of his cabin. A tall man with an easy air, he told us it was a baby boy, and both mother and baby were fine. His American humor emerged. “Been flying a long time and this is a first for me!”

We, the Nigerian passengers, laughed with a shared sense of delight, as though by being present we had somehow shared in bringing this baby into the world.

The American flight attendants were baffled. “The mother said she was 24 weeks gone, but that baby looked full-term. Why would anybody take the risk?” one asked.

We did not ask why. The new mother was traveling alone, nobody knew her, and yet we felt as if we did. We speculated about her circumstances. She probably had visa problems, got her visa later than she’d planned, or perhaps she had not planned it early enough, or maybe the chance to go to America emerged late in her pregnancy, and she’d chosen to do what she had to do because the sparkling worthwhile end was an American-born baby. I thought of her expression as she exited the plane, more frustration than worry, a lament for the American passport that now would not be.

Some passengers joked about her poor luck. “Now she has a Senegalese baby, ah, this is bad market for the baby!” one said. “A Senegalese passport is still better than a Nigerian,” another countered. “They will give a Senegalese person a visa before giving a Nigerian.” “Good that the baby waited for the flight to take off, do we even have the right emergency services in Lagos airport?” someone else asked. We chuckled. Good will swirled among us. Thank God it ended well, many people said, thank God. Risk taking was familiar to us. For too many in our world, this was the norm: the lack of choice and the dependence on chance.

Again, the pilot’s voice brought news. A tire had deflated, and the airline did not have the resources in Senegal to fix it in time. We would have to spend the night in Dakar. As we left the plane and got into buses, we sent text messages and grumbled about the inconvenience of arriving a day later than planned.

Still, the complaints were light-footed because what mattered was that the birth had gone well. In the hotel, some passengers posed for pictures by the fountain; why miss a good photo opportunity in a fellow African city they otherwise might never have visited? “Please, my sister, do you have any sleeping pills?” a stranger asked me.

The next morning, slightly disoriented and starved of sleep, I skipped breakfast.

When I finally went down to the lobby, most of the crew and passengers were gathered, waiting for the airport bus, faces dull and unrefreshed, voices a muted murmuring.

As I joined the group, a woman asked me if I had heard.

“Heard what?” I asked.

“The baby died.”

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the author, most recently, of the novel “Americanah.”

A version of this op-ed appears in print on December 7, 2013, in The International New York Times.

2014 World Cup: Nigeria draws Argentina, Iran and other draws

The draws for the 2014 FIFA World Cup was today held in Bahia, Brazil with Nigeria drawn against Iran, Argentina and Bosnia in Group F
Next door neighbours Cameroon were drawn with five time champions Brazil, North American heavy weights Mexico and 1998 World Cup 2^nd runners up Croatia in Group A.
North Africans Algeria are up against Belgium, Russia and South Korea, co-hosts of the 2002 edition of the competition in Group H.
Ghana will be facing Germany, United States and Portugal in Group G while the Elephants of Ivory Coast will be facing 2004 Europeans champions Greece, Asian champions Japan and Colombia in Group C.
Nigeria will play its first opponent on the 16th of June against Iran, before meeting Bosnia on the 21st and rounding the group stage matches against Argentina on the 25th of June, this will be the fourth time Nigeria will come up against the South American giants in the World Cup.
The pair first met in the the first round of the 1994 World Cup with goals from Diego Maradona and Claudio Caniggia cancelling out Samson Siaisia’s 8th minute strike.
In 2002, a lone goal by Gabriel Batistuta was enough for the Argentines to see off the Eagles while Gabriel Heinze scored in the 2010 edition dent Nigeria’s qualification hopes to the 2nd round. Both teams eventually qualified as they were both eliminated from their group in the competition in 2002.

Full Draws Below:

GROUP A
Brazil
Cameroon
Mexico
Croatia

GROUP B
Spain
Chile
Australia
Netherlands

GROUP C
Columbia
Ivory Coast
Japan
Greece

GROUP D
Uruguay
Italy
Costa Rica
England

GROUP E
Switzerland
Ecuador
Honduras
France

GROUP F
Argentina
Nigeria
Iran
Bosnia-Herzegovina

GROUP G
Germany
Ghana
USA
Portugal

GROUP H
Belgium
Algeria
South Korea
Russia

Court Grants Senator Ngige Permission To Inspect Anambra Election Materials

The Election Petition Tribunal  has granted the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Chris Ngige’s prayer to inspect the materials used in the conduct of the Anambra governorship election
The ruling, which was delivered by Justice G K Kaigama on Thursday in Awka, the Anambra state capital, gives Senator Ngige the express allowance to inspect and make copies of electoral documents used in the November 16th and 17th governorship polls in the state.
The ruling also permits Sen. Ngige to inspect all the voters register, including result sheets, used and unused ballot papers, list of all adhoc and permanent staff used in the election,.
It further permits him to scrutinise staff payment vouchers for settlement of allowances of adhoc staff.
Ngige is challenging the victory of Mr Willie Obiano of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) after he was declared winner by INEC’s chief returning officer in the election, Professor James Epoke.
The APC candidate is alleging that the umpire connived with the ruling APGA to rig the election.

Femi Kuti, others nominate for 2014 Grammy Awards

Grammy Awards 2014 Nominees: Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar Lead The Pack, Femi Kuti Gets Nomination [Full Nominee List]

The nominees have been named for the 2014 Grammy Awards, and it seems to be a good year for rappers.
Jay-Z had the most nominations with 9, while fellow rappers Kendrick Lamar & Macklemore and Rya Lewis have 7 apiece.
Pharell and former N-Sync singer Justin Timberlake also have 7 nominations.
Nigeria is lonely represennted by Femi Kuti, who grabbed a nomination for Best World Album
The Recording Academy announced the nominations Friday during a concert at the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles. The 56th Grammy Awards will be held on Jan. 26 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Record of the year

Get Lucky — Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
Radioactive — Imagine Dragons
Royals — Lorde
Locked Out Of Heaven — Bruno Mars
Blurred Lines — Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell

Album of the Year

The Blessed Unrest — Sara Bareilles
Random Access Memories — Daft Punk
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City — Kendrick Lamar
The Heist — Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Red — Taylor Swift

Song of the Year

Just Give Me A Reason — Jeff Bhasker, Pink & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Pink Featuring Nate Ruess)
Locked Out Of Heaven — Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine & Bruno Mars, songwriters (Bruno Mars)
Roar — Lukasz Gottwald, Max Martin, Bonnie McKee, Katy Perry & Henry Walter, songwriters (Katy Perry)
Royals — Joel Little & Ella Yelich O’Connor, songwriters (Lorde)
Same Love —- Ben Haggerty, Mary Lambert & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Mary Lambert)

Best New Artist

James Blake
Kendrick Lamar
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Kacey Musgraves
Ed Sheeran

Best Pop Solo Performance

Brave —- Sara Bareilles
Royals — Lorde
When I Was Your Man — Bruno Mars
Roar —- Katy Perry
Mirrors —- Justin Timberlake

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Get Lucky — Daft Punk & Pharrell Williams
Just Give Me A Reason — Pink Featuring Nate Ruess
Stay — Rihanna Featuring Mikky Ekko
Blurred Lines — Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. & Pharrell
Suit & Tie — Justin Timberlake & Jay Z

Best Pop Instrumental Album

Steppin’ Out — Herb Alpert
The Beat —- Boney James
Handpicked — Earl Klugh
Summer Horns — Dave Koz, Gerald Albright, Mindi Abair & Richard Elliot
Hacienda — Jeff Lorber Fusion

Best Pop Vocal Album

Paradise — Lana Del Rey
Pure Heroine — Lorde
Unorthodox Jukebox — Bruno Mars
Blurred Lines — Robin Thicke
The 20/20 Experience — The Complete Experience — Justin Timberlake

Best Dance Recording

Need U (100%) — Duke Dumont Featuring A*M*E & MNEK
Sweet Nothing — Calvin Harris Featuring Florence Welch
Atmosphere — Kaskade
This Is What It Feels Like — Armin Van Buuren Featuring Trevor Guthrie
Clarity — Zedd Featuring Foxes

Best Dance/Electronica Album

Random Access Memories — Daft Punk
Settle — Disclosure
18 Months — Calvin Harris
Atmosphere — Kaskade
A Color Map of the Sun — Pretty Lights

Traditional Pop Field

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Viva Duets — Tony Bennett & Various Artists
To Be Loved — Michael Bublé
The Standards — Gloria Estefan
Cee Lo’s Magic Moment — Cee Lo Green
Now — Dionne Warwick

Rock Field

Best Rock Performance

Always Alright — Alabama Shakes
The Stars (Are Out Tonight) — David Bowie
Radioactive — Imagine Dragons
Kashmir — Led Zeppelin
My God Is the Sun — Queens Of The Stone Age
I’m Shakin’ — Jack White

Best Metal Performance

T.N.T. — Anthrax
God Is Dead? — Black Sabbath
The Enemy Inside — Dream Theater
In Due Time — Killswitch Engage
Room 24 — Volbeat Featuring King Diamond

Best Rock Song

Ain’t Messin ‘Round — Gary Clark Jr., songwriter (Gary Clark Jr.)
Cut Me Some Slack — Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear, songwriters (Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, Pat Smear)
Doom And Gloom — Mick Jagger & Keith Richards, songwriters (the Rolling Stones)
God Is Dead? — Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi & Ozzy Osbourne, songwriters (Black Sabbath)
Panic Station — Matthew Bellamy, songwriter (Muse)

Best Rock Album

13 — Black Sabbath
The Next Day — David Bowie
Mechanical Bull — Kings Of Leon
Celebration Day — Led Zeppelin
…Like Clockwork — Queens Of The Stone Age
Psychedelic Pill — Neil Young With Crazy Horse

Alternative Field

Best Alternative Music Album

The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You — Neko Case
Trouble Will Find Me — The National
Hesitation Marks — Nine Inch Nails
Lonerism — Tame Impala
Modern Vampires Of The City — Vampire Weekend

R&B Field

Best R&B Performance

Love And War — Tamar Braxton
Best Of Me — Anthony Hamilton
Nakamarra — Hiatus Kaiyote Featuring Q-Tip
How Many Drinks? — Miguel Featuring Kendrick Lamar
Something — Snarky Puppy with Lalah Hathaway

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Please Come Home — Gary Clark Jr.
Get It Right — Fantasia
Quiet Fire — Maysa
Hey Laura — Gregory Porter
Yesterday — Ryan Shaw

Best R&B Song

Best Of Me – Anthony Hamilton & Jairus Mozee, songwriters (Anthony Hamilton)
Love And War – Tamar Braxton, Darhyl Camper, Jr., LaShawn Daniels & Makeba Riddick, songwriters (Tamar Braxton)
Only One – PJ Morton, songwriter (PJ Morton Featuring Stevie Wonder)
Pusher Love Girl – James Fauntleroy, Jerome Harmon, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (Justin Timberlake)
Without Me – Fantasia Barrino, Missy Elliott, Al Sherrod Lambert, Harmony Samuels & Kyle Stewart, songwriters (Fantasia Featuring Kelly Rowland & Missy Elliot)

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Love And War – Tamar Braxton
Side Effects Of You – Fantasia
One: In The Chamber – Salaam Remi
Unapologetic – Rihanna
New York: A Love Story – Mack Wilds

Best R&B Album

R&B Divas – Faith Evans
Girl On Fire – Alicia Keys
Love In The Future – John Legend
Better – Chrisette Michele
Three Kings – TGT

Rap Field

Best Rap Performance

Started From The Bottom – Drake
Berzerk – Eminem
Tom Ford – Jay Z
Swimming Pools (Drank) – Kendrick Lamar
Thrift Shop – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Power Trip – J. Cole Featuring Miguel
Part II (On The Run) – Jay Z Featuring Beyoncé
Holy Grail – Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake
Now Or Never – Kendrick Lamar Featuring Mary J. Blige
Remember You – Wiz Khalifa Featuring The Weeknd

Best Rap Song

…Problems – Tauheed Epps, Aubrey Graham, Kendrick Lamar, Rakim Mayers & Noah Shebib, songwriters (ASAP Rocky Featuring Drake, 2 Chainz & Kendrick Lamar)
Holy Grail – Shawn Carter, Terius Nash, J. Harmon, Timothy Mosley, Justin Timberlake & Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Kurt Cobain, Dave Grohl & Krist Novoselic, songwriters) (Jay Z Featuring Justin Timberlake)
New Slaves – Christopher Breaux, Ben Bronfman, Mike Dean, Louis Johnson, Malik Jones, Elon Rutberg, Sakiya Sandifer, Che Smith, Kanye West & Cydell Young, songwriters (Anna Adamis & Gabor Presser, songwriters) (Kanye West)
Started From The Bottom – W. Coleman, Aubrey Graham & Noah Shebib, songwriters (Bruno Sanfilippo, songwriter) (Drake)
Thrift Shop – Ben Haggerty & Ryan Lewis, songwriters (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Wanz)
FULL COVERAGE: Grammy nominations 2014

Best Rap Album

Nothing Was The Same – Drake
Magna Carta…Holy Grail – Jay Z
Good Kid, M.A.A.D City – Kendrick Lamar
The Heist – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Yeezus – Kanye West

Country Field

Best Country Solo Performance

I Drive Your Truck – Lee Brice
I Want Crazy – Hunter Hayes
Mama’s Broken Heart – Miranda Lambert
Wagon Wheel – Darius Rucker
Mine Would Be You – Blake Shelton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

From This Valley – The Civil Wars
Don’t Rush – Kelly Clarkson Featuring Vince Gill
Your Side Of The Bed – Little Big Town
Highway Don’t Care – Tim McGraw, Taylor Swift & Keith Urban
You Can’t Make Old Friends – Kenny Rogers With Dolly Parton

Best Country Song

Begin Again – Taylor Swift, songwriter (Taylor Swift)
I Drive Your Truck – Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Jimmy Yeary, songwriters (Lee Brice)
Mama’s Broken Heart – Brandy Clark, Shane McAnally & Kacey Musgraves, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
Merry Go ‘Round – Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
Mine Would Be You – Jessi Alexander, Connie Harrington & Deric Ruttan, songwriters (Blake Shelton)

Best Country Album

Night Train – Jason Aldean
Two Lanes Of Freedom – Tim McGraw
Same Trailer Different Park – Kacey Musgraves
Based On A True Story – Blake Shelton
Red – Taylor Swift

Best New Age Album

Lux – Brian Eno
Illumination – Peter Kater
Final Call – Kitaro
Awakening The Fire – R. Carlos Nakai & Will Clipman
Love’s River – Laura Sullivan

Best Improvised Jazz Solo

Don’t Run – Terence Blanchard, soloist
Song For Maura – Paquito D’Rivera, soloist
Song Without Words #4: Duet – Fred Hersch, soloist
Stadium Jazz – Donny McCaslin, soloist
Orbits – Wayne Shorter, soloist

Best Jazz Vocal Album

The World According To Andy Bey – Andy Bey
Attachments – Lorraine Feather
Liquid Spirit – Gregory Porter
WomanChild – Cécile McLorin Salvant
After Blue – Tierney Sutton

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Guided Tour – The New Gary Burton Quartet
Money Jungle: Provocative In Blue – Terri Lyne Carrington
Life Forum – Gerald Clayton
Pushing The World Away – Kenny Garrett
Out Here – Christian McBride Trio

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album

Brooklyn Babylon – Darcy James Argue’s Secret Society
Night In Calisia – Randy Brecker, W¿odek Pawlik Trio & Kalisz Philharmonic
Wild Beauty – Brussels Jazz Orchestra Featuring Joe Lovano
March Sublime – Alan Ferber
Intrada – Dave Slonaker Big Band

Best Latin Jazz Album

La Noche Más Larga – Buika
Song For Maura – Paquito D’Rivera And Trio Corrente
Yo – Roberto Fonseca
Egg¿n – Omar Sosa
Latin Jazz-Jazz Latin – Wayne Wallace Latin Jazz Quintet

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance

Break Every Chain [Live] – Tasha Cobbs
Hurricane – Natalie Grant
Lord, I Need You – Matt Maher
Overcomer – Mandisa
If He Did It Before… Same God [Live] – Tye Tribbett

Best Gospel Song

Have Your Way – Calvin Frazier & Deitrick Haddon, songwriters (Deitrick Haddon)
If He Did It Before… Same God [Live] – Tye Tribbett, songwriter (Tye Tribbett)
If I Believe – Wirlie Morris, Michael Paran, Charlie Wilson & Mahin Wilson, songwriters (Charlie Wilson)
A Little More Jesus – Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell & Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Erica Campbell)
Still – Percy Bady, songwriter (Percy Bady Featuring Lowell Pye)

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song

Hurricane – Matt Bronleewe, Natalie Grant & Cindy Morgan, songwriters (Natalie Grant)
Love Take Me Over – Steven Curtis Chapman, songwriter (Steven Curtis Chapman)
Overcomer – David Garcia, Ben Glover & Christopher Stevens, songwriters (Mandisa)
Speak Life – Toby McKeehan, Jamie Moore & Ryan Stevenson, songwriters (Tobymac)
Whom Shall I Fear (God Of Angel Armies) – Ed Cash, Scott Cash & Chris Tomlin, songwriters (Chris Tomlin)

Best Gospel Album

Grace [Live] – Tasha Cobbs
Best For Last: 20 Year Celebration Vol. 1 [Live] – Donald Lawrence
Best Days Yet – Bishop Paul S. Morton
God Chaser [Live] – William Murphy
Greater Than [Live] – Tye Tribbett

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

We Won’t Be Shaken – Building 429
All The People Said Amen [Live] – Matt Maher
Overcomer – Mandisa
Your Grace Finds Me (Live) – Matt Redman
Burning Lights – Chris Tomlin

Best Latin Pop Album

Faith, Hope Y Amor – Frankie J
Viajero Frecuente – Ricardo Montaner
Vida – Draco Rosa
Syntek – Aleks Syntek
12 Historias – Tommy Torres

Best Latin Rock, Urban or Alternative Album

El Objeto Antes Llamado Disco – Café Tacvba
Ojo Por Ojo – El Tri
Chances – Illya Kuryaki And The Valderramas
Treinta Días – La Santa Cecilia
Repeat After Me – Los Amigos Invisibles

Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano)

El Free – Banda Los Recoditos
En Peligro De Extinción – Intocable
A Mi Manera – Mariachi Divas De Cindy Shea
Romeo Y Su Nieta – Paquita La Del Barrio
13 Celebrando El 13 – Joan Sebastian

Best Tropical Latin Album

3.0 – Marc Anthony
Como Te Voy A Olvidar – Los Angeles Azules
Pacific Mambo Orchestra – Pacific Mambo Orchestra
Sergio George Presents Salsa Giants – Various Artists
Corazón Profundo – Carlos Vives

Best American Roots Song

Build Me Up From Bones – Sarah Jarosz
Invisible – Steve Earle & The Dukes (& Duchesses)
Keep Your Dirty Lights On – Tim O’Brien And Darrell Scott
Love Has Come For You – Steve Martin & Edie Brickell
Shrimp Po-Boy, Dressed – Allen Toussaint

Best Americana Album

Old Yellow Moon – Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell
Love Has Come For You – Steve Martin & Edie Brickell
Buddy And Jim – Buddy Miller And Jim Lauderdale
One True Vine – Mavis Staples
Songbook – Allen Toussaint

Best Bluegrass Album

It’s Just A Road – The Boxcars
Brothers Of The Highway – Dailey & Vincent
This World Oft Can Be – Della Mae
Three Chords And The Truth – James King
The Streets Of Baltimore – Del McCoury Band

Best Blues Album

Remembering Little Walter – Billy Boy Arnold, Charlie Musselwhite, Mark Hummel, Sugar Ray Norcia & James Harman
Cotton Mouth Man – James Cotton
Get Up! – Ben Harper With Charlie Musselwhite
Seesaw – Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa
Down In Louisiana – Bobby Rush

Best Folk Album

My Favorite Picture Of You – Guy Clark
Sweetheart Of The Sun – The Greencards
Build Me Up From Bones – Sarah Jarosz
The Ash & Clay – The Milk Carton Kids
They All Played For Us: Arhoolie Records 50th Anniversary Celebration – (Various Artists)

Best Regional Roots Music Album

The Life & Times Of…The Hot 8 Brass Band – Hot 8 Brass Band
Hula Ku’i – Kahulanui
Le Fou – Zachary Richard
Dockside Sessions – Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience
Apache Blessing & Crown Dance Songs – Joe Tohonnie Jr.

Best Reggae Album

One Love, One Life – Beres Hammond
Ziggy Marley In Concert – Ziggy Marley
The Messiah – Sizzla
Reggae Connection – Sly & Robbie And The Jam Masters
Reincarnated – Snoop Lion

Best World Music Album

Savor Flamenco – Gipsy Kings
No Place For My Dream – Femi Kuti
Live: Singing For Peace Around The World – Ladysmith Black Mambazo
The Living Room Sessions Part 2 – Ravi Shankar

Best Children’s Album

Blue Clouds – Elizabeth Mitchell & You Are My Flower
The Mighty Sky – Beth Nielsen Chapman
Recess – Justin Roberts
Singing Our Way Through: Songs For The World’s Bravest Kids – Alastair Moock & Friends
Throw A Penny In The Wishing Well – Jennifer Gasoi

Best Recording Package

Automatic Music Can Be Fun – Mike Brown, Zac Decamp, Brian Grunert & Annie Stoll, art directors (Geneseo)
Long Night Moon – Sarah Dodds & Shauna Dodds, art directors (Reckless Kelly)
Magna Carta…Holy Grail – Brian Roettinger, art director (Jay Z)
Metallica Through The Never (Music From The Motion Picture) – Bruce Duckworth, Sarah Moffat & David Turner, art directors (Metallica)
The Next Day – Jonathan Barnbrook, art director (David Bowie)

Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical

Rob Cavallo
Dr. Luke
Ariel Rechtshaid
Jeff Tweedy
Pharrell Williams

Best Music Video

Safe And Sound – Capital Cities | Grady Hall, video director; Buddy Enright, video producer
Picasso Baby: A Performance Art Film – Jay Z | Mark Romanek, video director; Shawn Carter & Aristides McGarry, video producers
Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Featuring Ray Dalton | Jon Jon Augustavo, Jason Koenig & Ryan Lewis, video directors; Tricia Davis, Honna Kimmerer & Jenny Koenig, video producers
Suit & Tie – Justin Timberlake Featuring Jay Z | David Fincher, video director; Timory King, video producer
I’m Shakin’ – Jack White | Dori Oskowitz, video director; Raquel Costello, video producer

We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again - President Obama

Nelson Mandela now “belongs to the ages,” President Barack Obama said last night in mourning the late South African leader and icon.

“We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela again,” he said as he talked about how the political powerhouse inspired him.

“He no longer belongs to us; he belongs to the ages,” Obama said in brief remarks at the White House.

“We will not likely see the likes of Nelson Mandela ever again,” the president said. “So it falls to us, as best we can, to carry forward the example that he set.”

Obama paid tribute to Mandela shortly after the South African government announced the former president’s passing at the age of 95. Obama paid tribute to Mandela in personal terms, noting that his first political action was a protest of South Africa’s apartheid policies.

“I am one of the countless millions who drew inspiration from Nelson Mandela’s life,” Obama said. “Like so many around the globe, I cannot imagine my own life without the example that Nelson Mandela set.”

He added: “So long as I live, I will do whatever I can to learn from him.”

Kofi Annan’s statement on Nelson Mandela passing away

“The world has lost a visionary leader, a courageous voice for justice, and a clear moral compass. By showing us that the path to freedom and human dignity lies in love, wisdom and compassion for one another, Nelson Mandela stands as an inspiration to us all.

I shall never forget his expansive smile and gentle demeanour, nor his steely determination and wonderful sense of humour. I have lost a dear friend. While I mourn the loss of one of Africa’s most distinguished leaders, Madiba’s legacy beckons us to follow his example to strive for human rights, reconciliation and justice for all.”