Photo: Farewell and thanksgiving service in honour President Jonathan and wife

Chidi Mokeme mark son's birth with a Range Rover gift to his wife

To mark his son's birth,actor Chidi Mokeme have gifted his wife with a new Range Rover Sport Supercharged to showcase his love for her dedication in the family.
He also shared some sweet words in her honour:

You may be treated like the maid, You may be treated like the gardener, You may be treated like the Day Care, You may be treated like the Chauffeur, You may be treated like many things, But One Thing is for sure, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE LOVED! All that I have, All that I am, All that I hope to be, will be incomplete without YOU! So this is for all the times that I forgot to say THANK YOU! You and our prince deserve to ride in Style! #PushPresent #SuperCharged #Wife #Mum #Boo #OtherHalf #RideOrDie #LoveYouForeverAndADay

 @chidimokeme You, My Love, are two divine gifts in one. The gift that I want and the gift that I'm supposed to be with. A true gift from above. How Blessed can one man be? Today I honor you for all that you have given, all that you have done, all that you are. On this Special day, I hope this token on wheels will remind you just how SuperCharged a wife and mum you are! #PushPresent #RangeRover #SuperCharged

PDP in disarray over Muazu

The agitation for resignation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Mallam Adamu Muazu, has polarised the party’s governors.
 Several PDP Northern governors have thrown their lot with the embattled party boss. Championing his exit are the Southsouth and Southeast governors as well as Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State. Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State yesterday publicly identified with their position.
Muazu is under increasing pressure to resign following the PDP abysmal performance in the recent elections. The immediate past governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, yesterday joined in the Muazu-must-go campaign.

The party chair himself has warned that continuation of the tradition of use- and- dump, which terminated the tenures of his predecessors, is not in the best interest of the party. He said in a statement penultimate weekend that the only way forward for the PDP in the aftermath of the recent election is to rebuild and re-strategise ahead of the 2019 polls.

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday promised to work with the PDP Post- Election Review Committee to return the party to its lost glory. He told the Ike Ekweremadu-led committee in Abuja that everything will be done to ensure that PDP does not only present a credible opposition for the country but also work to return to power in 2019. Multiple party sources disclosed that the Muazu-must-go campaign is threatening to put PDP Northern governors and their Southern counterparts on collision course.

One source said that at a recent meeting PDP Northern governors resolved to mobilise party chieftains across the North to resist the move to sack Muazu, and what is seen as an attempt by the Southeast and the Southsouth to hijack the party. “Governors at the meeting insisted that the plot to remove Muazu does not enjoy the support of President Goodluck Jonathan. “According to them, those behind the divisive move are merely popularizing their intention by dropping the name of the President,” the source said.

The convener of the meeting, a Northwest governor, reportedly said he had spoken with Jonathan on the issue and the President swore he is not a party to the plan to change the leadership of the party before or after his exit from office. The governors agreed to remain in the PDP and ensure that all organs of the party are allowed to complete their tenure, the source said. Another source said that following the stand of the Northern governors, their Southern counterparts tabled a modified plan to replace the Muazu-led executives with a caretaker committee. This was also reportedly rejected by the PDP Northern governors, who similarly kicked again an alleged plan to install President Goodluck Jonathan as chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party. One of the sources said: “There is an imminent clash of interest amongst the governors. “There seems to be no way to bring them to an agreement because some governors, especially those from the Southsouth, are still going about how to reposition the party without Muazu and his executives. “Even as we speak, they had a meeting where it was resolved that the Southsouth should produce the next chairman while the Southwest should retain the Secretary. “The decision of three Northern governors who were previously part of the ‘Muazu Must Go’ plot to pull out could not even convince these governors to dump the plot. “So unless something gives way soon, any plan to change the leadership of the party and even the BoT in the nearest future will pitch our governors against one another along regional lines. This is obviously not good for the PDP.” Jonathan backs moves to revive PDP President Jonathan receiving the at PDP Post- Election Review Committee at the State House yesterday said he was in support of efforts to return the party to its lost glory. Chairman of the committee and Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, told State House correspondents after the committee met with President Jonathan said he assured the committee that everything would be done to ensure that PDP does not only present a credible opposition for the country but also return to power in 2019. He said:

“Mr. President has given us his word that he will encourage and support this process and that he is interested in the party returning to its past glory and that he is going to do everything to ensure that we remain intact and we also agreed that all bickering have to stop so that we have a position that will enable us to rebuild our party.”

Asked why the party could not manage its success, Ekweremadu said: “When you have this kind of situation, the first reaction will be blame game. But I think we have been able to absorb that shock and right now I can assure you that all that bickering has stopped. “We are now ready to rebuild our party and be able to present a credible opposition for this country that will ensure us return to power in 2019.
Aliyu, Ohakim back Fayose, demand Muazu, others’ resignation Governor Aliyu of Niger State and the immediate past governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, yesterday joined in the call for the resignation of the members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by the party’s chairman, Mallam Adamu Muazu. Like Fayose, they said Muazu and other PDP’s NWC members should take a cue from the leaders of the British Labour Party,UKIP and the Liberal Democratic Party who resigned as soon as it was clear that their parties had lost last Thursday’s election. Aliyu, speaking in Dutse, Jigawa State capital, at the inauguration of a township road named after the ‘G7 Governors’ by Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, said any politician, who leads his party to defeat , has no reason to remain in office. “It is unfortunate that people have to be called to resign.

The leaders are supposed to voluntarily resign their positions for the loss at the just concluded general elections,” he said. “It is unfair that they are threatening to form a factional PDP because they were asked to resign,” he added in reference to the crisis brewing in the party on account of its disastrous outing in the polls. He said the PDP members must imbibe morality and principle if the party must succeed in the future, arguing that what happened in the United Kingdom election on Thursday was a reflection of those virtues. In a separate statement, Ohakim said more people will, in the days ahead, demand Muazu’s exit because “regardless of the defeat it suffered at the just concluded general elections, Nigerians believe that the PDP should be nurtured back to life to play the role of a creditable opposition for the growth of our democracy.”
 He said Muazu should quit without further delay, adding: “I am aware that for reasons that have to do with the Nigerian factor, Mallam Muazu may find it difficult to submit to the wishes of Nigerians.” Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State had engaged PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, in a war of words over the defeat of the party in the 2015 general elections, calling on Muazu and others in the party’s National Working Committee to resign. Muazu vowed penultimate weekend that he won’t quit.
He said the PDP should be tired by now of its impunity of using and dumping its chairmen. At the Dutse event yesterday, Aliyu, who expressed delight on the naming of streets after the ‘G7 Governors’, commended Lamido for his vision in terms of history.
 G7 refers to the seven PDP governors who walked out of the party’s national convention in Abuja in 2013 to protest alleged undemocratic tendencies in the party. These were Lamido,Aliyu,Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers),Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto),Murtala Nyako (Adamawa),Ahmed Abdulfatah (Kwara), and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano). All of them save Aliyu and Lamido later teamed up with the then ACN, ANPP and CPC to form the APC.

WHO certified Liberia Ebola free

The World Health Organization (WHO) has finally declared Liberia Ebola-free after no new cases were recorded in 42 days. In a statement on Saturday, may 9, WHO said “the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in Liberia is over." Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf told the BBC, "we will celebrate our communities which have taken responsibility and participated in fighting this unknown enemy and finally we've crossed the Rubicon. Liberia indeed is a happy nation." As the country celebrate the end of sorrowful episodes, WHO has warned against complacency, saying that there is a high risk that infected people cross into Liberia – given the region’s exceptionally porous borders. The last confirmed death from Ebola in Liberia was on March 27. - See more at: http://www.9janewsarena.com/2015/05/liberia-finally-certified-ebola-free.html#.dpuf

Dakore Akande lecture mothers on parenting (Must Read)

In her most recent blog post Nollywood actress Dakore Akande talks about the challenges of raising children in a world that has had more advancement in technology than the one she grew up in.

In the post titled ‘Digital Media, My Babies & I’ she talks about having to be extra vigilant with the things are daughters are exposed to. 

Read her post below:

On today’s post I want to share the challenge I face as a parent on a daily basis as it concerns digital media/new technology/television.

Growing up we didn’t all have access to it or only had ‘restricted’ access. In my case when school started we weren’t allowed to watch TV so we could concentrate. Yeah, my folks were hard-core like that. We didn’t have much choice in terms of what to watch, it was either “Voltron”, “Sesame Street” or “She-Ra” on television or music videos on Betamax or VHS cassette. Wow, my age don dey show o!

Nowadays my daughters are spoilt for choice as to what to watch on TV with so many different cartoon channels and YouTube on my phone or iPad. I have nothing against mankind’s advancement in technology considering it has made life a lot easier in many ways and saved lives especially in medicine, etc., but as a new parent it’s something we all need to be mindful of.

My 1st born is already a whiz on my phone and IPad and I usually let her watch her favourite shows like “Sofia the 1st”, “Frozen”, “Peppa-Pig”, etc and I did not worry about it too much because most times I have to help her type what she wants to watch so that way I can monitor what she’s doing. Right? Well, sort of. It turns out that there are so many suggestions that pop up based on previous history that can lure kids to get into some adult stuff with parodies of these shows such as “Barbie life in the Dream House”- let me just say it was borderline porn! I was shocked but of course I had to play it cool and just changed it to something more wholesome! Phew!

From then on I always ensure to extra double check what she’s up to. It is not as if she’s deliberately searching for naughty stuff because she’s only 3 years old, but if it’s dangled in front of her like a lollipop, then I can’t blame her for her curiosity but it will not be curiosity killing my little kitty if I can help it! That was my first shocker so I brought my husband’s attention together we became more vigilant.

Another issue is with music videos and shows. As we all know, we live in a highly sexualized world where sex sells just about everything and I find myself worrying about the impact that has on the children we are raising today. In my household we are huge lovers of music of all genres, be it our very own Naija pop, hip-hop, or R&B. And one of my favourite things to do is to dance with my daughters. In the past, I would leave the TV on and watch TraceTV or SoundCity and let it keep showing, now I have to be extra vigilant with all the nudity and shaking of bum-bums. This is coupled with the fact that I have two baby girls and I can’t particularly say I’m happy with the way certain women allow themselves to be portrayed. However that is an entirely different topic for another day.

But back to the matter at hand, I find I have to reduce watching those shows or leave it to when they’re asleep or play the audio version only, or just switch to another channel entirely. When the video that comes up is too risqué and that always causes troubles with my feisty 3 year old.

We really have to contend with a lot these days and I want to encourage us as Mums to be more vigilant with our kids so they don’t grow up too fast and start dealing with things they don’t understand.

Till next time.

Blessings,

Dakore.

Photos: Tunde & Wunmi Obe host Kate Henshaw, Ras Kimono, Femi Kuti, others at their mansion

Celebrity couple, Tunde and Wunmi Obe played host to superstars Femi Kuti, Kate Henshaw, Dare Art Alade and DJ Jimmy Jatt at an exclusive event for their entertainment industry colleagues at their home. The celebrities gathered to celebrate with the couple on the launch of their latest album, T.W.O PLUS. Other Guests Include Essence, Funke Kuti, Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi, Kenny Saint Brown, Ras Kimono,Yeni Kuti, Tony Okoroji, Tosyn Bucknor and Yinka Davies.

See Picture below:

8 years old boy found in suit case at Spanish border

An 8-year-old boy from Ivory Coast was found locked up in a suitcase in a failed smuggling attempt into Spain.
CNN reports that he was bundled up tightly in a fetal position, in a pink, medium-sized polyester suitcase, that also contained a few personal belongings. He was locked up in the suitcase for several hours.

The boy, who is now in custody of Spanish police, was discovered Thursday in El Tarajal, a terrestrial point of entry at Spain’s border with Morocco.

According to the report, here is how the boy was discovered:

On Thursday, police officers in El Tarajal became suspicious when a 21-year-old woman, a Moroccan National, showed signs of nervousness as she attempted to cross the border wheeling the suitcase down the street.

“Our officers asked her if she needed help as the wheels began to give in,” a police spokesman said.

Suspecting a drug smuggling case, police brought the suitcase in for an x-ray. That is when they found the boy.

He was immediately taken to a state child custodian and awaits judicial process, the official said.

A man who is apparently his father, identified as A.O., was arrested a few hours after the boy was found. The man, who has permanent residency in Spain, awaits formal charges.

Photo Credit: CNN.com