Kim Kardashian has been a very busy lady recently - first she popped
out a baby and now it seems boyfriend Kanye West may have popped the
question. The rapper is rumoured to have asked reality television royalty Kim to get married just days after baby North West was born last weekend.
WHAT COULD THIS POSSIBLY MEAN?! Well, let us break it down. Kim went into labour five weeks early last week and the new mother welcomed her first child into the world with her lyric-spitter beau.
Kanye
let Kim finish, just like he did Taylor Swift but in a different sense,
and handed her a "push present", according to The Sun.
And no,
Kanye didn't give Kim some strange sort of button to press - a "push
present" is the name given something the father gives to the mother
either before or after the birth in the delivery room. Will Kim's wedding dress look like this?
Splash
Said present was apparently a ring which Kim is understood to
have accepted and she is said to already be planning a September Paris
wedding.
And because Kanye is loaded he's apparently splashed out
£500,000 on a unique black and tiger-striped diamond ring. Totally down
to earth, of course.
Kim and Kanye spent days inside the Cedars
Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills after the birth of their baby daughter
as she arrived early and they waited for the all clear before moving to a
secret location to take care of their new human.
And romeo Kanye
is said to have made sure Kim is getting the best care having employed a
personal labour coach and spent thousands on treatment at the hospital
before left. Perhaps Kanye will make everyone at the wedding wear black leather
kimkardashian/instagram
A source told The Sun: "Kanye wasted no money in making sure Kim had the best of everything while she's in hospital.
"He has spent half a million on a ring as a push present and had it designed months ago in preparation.
"He's even more in love with her now than ever and they can't wait to get married."
Kim
and Kanye are yet to comment on the rumours but then again they haven't
even publicly used their own mouths to confirm the existence of their
baby.
Wizkid & Manager Arrested & Detained By Lagos Police Over UNILAG Concert Fraud Case
In the early hours of today, singer Ayo Balogun, Wizkid was arrested by the Lagos state Police command in Onikan Zone 2 after some UNILAG students reported him to the police.
According to the students, they paid .5million naira to the star for a
performance at Unilag Sports Centre for the concert of life that was
suppose to hold on the 24th of May, 2013 but he didn’t show up.
The trouble started because Wizkid and his manager didn’t contact them after the no show.
Wizkid was whisked to Onikan police station this afternoon. He was briefly queried and detained.
His lawyer came in this afternoon to secure his bail.
He has been told to report back next week to resume the case.
Some students are alleging that Wizkid wasn’t the person who collected the money.
They said a fraudster duped the students.
Though the words on the street is that he was invited for questioning, a close source said he was actually arrested.
A scrap plane formerly owned by the
late Apostle Gabriel Oduyemi of Bethel Ministries, Ajah, Lagos, caused
panic in the city on Thursday as rumour spread that another aircraft had
crashed in Lagos.
It
was learnt that the plane, which was recently released to Capt Matthew
Ekeinde, husband of Nollywood star, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, was being
dragged to Badagry area of the state before its tyre burst. The incident
forced the new owner to dump the plane in a nearby filling station.
Hundreds
of residents trooped out with their smart phones and camera, and queued
behind the gate of Dapsey Oil filling station at Igando where the plane
was parked.
A senior employee of the filling station said the
plane, with registration number N972TF, was being towed from Muritala
Muhammed Airport, Ikeja to Badagry when one of the tyres burst.
He
said, “The plane was brought here around 2am after one of its tyres
burst. It was being towed by a red vehicle, but after it got to Igando,
they discovered it would be difficult to get it to its destination with
burst tyre, which was why they brought it here.”
The Lagos State
Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Damasus Ozoani, told the News
Agency of Nigeria that the police provided escort for the plane.
He said, “About 12.45am, the command got a directive to escort the jet from MMIA Ikeja to Badagry by road.
“The
operation was led by one Capt. Matthew Ekeinde, but in the process of
the journey, one of the jet’s tyres burst at College Bus Stop and the
jet could not move.
“It was parked at Dapsey Filling Station along
Igando for repairs. We have provided security for the plane until it is
moved to Badagry.”
Men of The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were on the ground to “ensure the safety of people” living in the area.
The Igando Divisional Police Officer, Adeoye Olugbemiga, came with his team around 12pm to control on-lookers.
In a short time, some of the residents turned the scene into an amusement park and began to pose and take shots near the plane.
One of our correspondents observed that the plane’s two wings had been chopped off and the cockpit was stuffed with nylons.
The
Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, Nnamdi
Udoh, in a statement, said the aircraft had long been within the
agency’s facility till Wednesday night when it was removed.
Udoh
said, “The aircraft that was sighted by the residents was actually a
junk one belonging to the late Apostle Gabriel Oduyemi of Bethel
Ministries.
“The aircraft was actually released to Capt Ekeinde who will be using it for educational purposes in Badagry, Lagos.”
Ekeinde confirmed on the telephone that the scrap plane belonged to him.
He said, “The aircraft will be situated in a multipurpose and entertainment centre which wlll be open very soon.
“When opened, the centre will be the first of its kind in West Africa.”
The death of veteran musician, Fatai Rolling Dollar, on Wednesday, signifies the end of a persevering era,
At over 80, on stage he was as agile as a
young panther. Many people could not resist dancing to his music, but
only a few people could beat him in the game, as he was fond of rocking
along to his own beat, occasionally clapping his legs like the fronds of
a wind-driven palm tree.
While his voice remained as piercing as
it was when he was a young adult, his fingers never faltered on the
guitar. That is why, unlike some old guitarists, whose fingers retire
ahead of them, he often went round with the instrument, even when he was
not billed to perform.
He also defied ageing based on his
regular appearances at many events. The same never-say-old man, who
could be sighted mixing freely with young frolickers at an O’Jez Club on
a Sunday, would have been at the National Theatre on Friday and
probably Freedom Park, Lagos on Saturday. And he was likely to have
mounted the stage at all of such centres.
In spite of such an unusual agility,
coupled with artistry excellence, nature asserted itself on Wednesday
when death snatched away Fatai Olayiwola Olagunju, the juju/highlife
songbird popularly known as Rolling Dollar. Although some members of the
entertainment community had, for some days, nursed some anxiety,
following reports that he was hospitalised, the fear became real when
the artiste proverbially speaking, eventually laid down his guitar.
What could also be taken as his last
words exuded hope and a determination to sing on. For instance, in a
recent reaction to reports that he might have slipped into a coma, the
musician had noted that he had survived the illness scare and that he
would soon bounce back on stage.
Signs that all was not well with him,
however, became apparent when he returned from the US trip. One of our
correspondents had visited him in his house in Abattoir, Agege area of
Lagos. Quite unlike him, he could not grant him an interview, despite
the fact that the reporter waited for the artiste – who was lying in bed
– for about four hours.
Yet four days ago, he had managed to
declare, “I’m ready for my shows and I also want to assure my fans that
I am doing fine right now, though I was told to always visit the
hospital for further check-up.”
Although details of his death were
initially scanty on Wednesday, information from the management of Daily
Needs Industries Limited indicated that he died at Maritol Medical
Centre, Surulere, Lagos. The company, for which Rolling Dollar was an
ambassador, advertising its De-Deon’s Syrup, had intervened when he
became indisposed about two weeks ago.
The Marketing Manager, Daily Needs
Industries Limited, Mr. Sola Adeyi, noted in a statement on Wednesday,
“The deceased had just returned from a musical tour of the United States
of America where he took ill and was diagnosed of cancer. On his return
to Nigeria, we took up his medical case with all the importance it
deserved. We took him to Maritol Medical Centre in Surulere for proper
medical care where further checks confirmed that he had cancer of the
lungs. But medical doctor cares, God determines who survives. He
received the best of medical care and comfort until he passed on
peacefully on Wednesday.
“The death of Pa Fatai Rolling Dollar is
a painful loss to the staff and management of our company. Our prayer
is that may God grant his soul eternal rest and may his legacies
continue to thrive forever.”
One of Rolling Dollar’s former
associates, Mr. Kunle Tejuosho, who is the Chief Executive Officer of
Jazzhole Records, which produced the artiste’s most successful album – Won Kere si Number Wa
- corroborated this account. He said that the musician did not go
through any protracted illness as it was only a few weeks ago he
returned from the US.
Tejuosho said, “Baba was a great musician. He lived a life of music. He was always ready to perform.”
Among the Ede, Osun State-born artiste’s
other feats, he trained reputed juju icon, Chief Ebenezer Obey and the
late Orlando Owoh, while he was also said to have been a part of King
Sunny Ade’s evolution. But his acolytes also noted that the biggest
lesson he bequeathed to the industry is that of professional
perseverance.
According to juju musician-turned
evangelist, Rev. Idowu Animasahun, who spoke from his Badeku, Ibadan
base on Wednesday, Rolling Dollar’s transition symbolises the end of an
era. He recalled that even after the deceased’s contemporaries had
passed on, and he (Rolling Dollar) went through a trying period, he
later bounced back because he persevered.
Animasahun added, “Fatai Rolling
Dollar’s death is the end of an era. He represented an old generation
that defines the best of music from the country. He was with J. O. Araba
when he got the nickname, Rolling Dollar. He used to play agidigbo
with an object that looked like a dollar. So, whenever Araba and other
members of the group wanted him to play, they would say, ‘Fatai, roll
the dollar.”
Younger artistes, including Ade Bantu
and Segun Adefila, also stressed that beyond professionalism, emerging
acts should learn from the deceased the act of staying loyal to one’s
talent.
“Baba’s life or experience teaches us
that we should learn to wait for our time. If you are an artiste all you
need to do is to always put in your best. One day, time will reward
you,” Adefila said.
An undisquished polygamist, Fatai
Rolling Dollar was born 86 years ago into the family of late Chief
Olagunju of Ede in Osun State.
The artiste, held the record as the
oldest but active Nigerian musician. He was one of the pioneers of juju
music genre in Nigeria.
Years back, it seemed like Pa Rolling
Dollar was in the nightfall of his career, but he took the Nigerian
scene by surprise as he stormed back with his hit song, ‘Won Kere si Number wa.’ The song has become the anthem of music lovers and a signature tune for some brand commercials.
An enduring influence on African music –Jonathan
President Goodluck Jonathan, on
Wednesday, joined other Nigerians and music lovers in all parts of the
world in mourning the late Fatai Rolling Dollar.
In a statement by his spokesman, Reuben
Abati, the President described the deceased as an accomplished and
multi-talented musician who would remain an enduring influence on
African music even in death.
The statement read in part, “President
Jonathan shares the grief of all lovers of music over the death of the
illustrious entertainer, master singer, guitarist and exponent of the
native thumb piano, who continued to perform and exhibit his unqualified
love for the music profession at an age when most of his contemporaries
had long retired.
“The President believes that the late
Fatai Rolling Dollar, who enthralled his teeming followers throughout
his career of over 64 years will, even in death, remain an enduring
influence on African music and that the vacuum his death has created in
the Nigerian entertainment industry will be hard to fill.”
Aregbesola mourns
Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, described his death as a huge loss to the entertainment sector in Nigeria.
Aregbesola, in a statement by the
Director of Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon,
described the octogenarian high-life maestro as a testimony in
perseverance and hope.
The governor said Rolling Dollar’s life sojourn demonstrated that no time is too late for man to have a breakthrough in life.
He stressed that the star of the old
artiste shone at his old age when nobody ever taught of a musical
success for him again after his initial popularity at the beginning of
his career.
Aregbesola said, “The ace musician’s ultimate comeback is a testimony that no time is late in the life of human being.
“Pa Fatai Rolling Dollar’s story of a meteoric rise to fame is a confirmation that success can come at any time in a man’s life.
“Rolling Dollar was a force to reckon
with in high life music and he would stand tall in the nation’s music
hall of fame and counted among musical genii like Cardinal Rex Lawson,
Bobby Benson, Adeolu Akinsanya among others.
“The government and people of the State
of Osun, where the music legend hailed from, send our heartfelt
condolences to the immediate and extended families of late musician, his
band members, fans and the government of Lagos.”
He was a first rate guitarist –Fashola
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde
Fashola, has expressed sadness on the passage of the highlife icon.
According to him, the loss of the “musical innovator” would reverberate
around the musical world and beyond.
In a condolence letter to Mrs. Funmilayo
Olagunju, the widow of the late musician, Fashola said he was a first
rate guitarist under whose tutelage several other musical legends learnt
to play the instrument.
According to the governor, Rolling Dollar is assured of his place in the pantheon of Nigerian musical greats with hits like ‘Won Kere si Number Wa’ and ‘Saworo’ enduring in the memory of generations to come.
“Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s, it
was impossible to escape the presence of this iconic genius across
Lagos. I am pleased and gratified that in the latter part of his life
Lagos State was able to reacquaint itself once again with his singular
talents,’’ he said.
He was an authentic artiste –Culture Minister
The Minister of Tourism, Culture and
National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, has also said the death of the
veteran musician has severed an important link between the old and new
generations of musicians in Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja.
The minister stated, “Pa Fatai Rolling
Dollar was a copious symbol of authentic creative talent. His exploits
as a musician before and after Nigeria’s independence constitute a great
legacy and a reference point for musicians, performers, policy makers
and researchers. His resurgence on the nation’s music scene with several
hits and memorable numbers is a demonstration of the vitality,
resilience and authenticity of the Nigerian creative energy.”
‘COSON will ensure he is immortalised’
Expressing his shock at the news of the
death of Rolling Dollar, who was the oldest member of the Copyright
Society of Nigeria,COSON Chairman, Chief Tony Okoroji, also noted, “He
was a legend, a fantastic person with a very positive attitude to life
who treated everyone with courtesy. I believe that his attitude to life
was responsible for the long life he lived and that should be a lesson
for all us. He was committed to the unity of the Nigerian music industry
and never missed any meeting of COSON. He will be missed by a lot of
people whom he inspired. COSON will ensure that Fatai Rolling Dollar is
immortalised.”
The United States has officially declared the leader of
the extremist Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, wanted and placed a $7
million bounty on his head.
In an announcement on Monday, the U.S. Department of Justice Reward for
Justice Programme says it would pay $7million to anyone with information
that could lead to the arrest of the Boko Haram leader.
Also declared wanted are four other alleged terrorists believed to be spreading terrorism in the West African sub-region.
They include Mokhtar Belmokhtar, described as a one-eyed mastermind
of the January deadly attack on a gas plant in Algeria, which left 37
foreigners dead. Authorities say anyone who could help facilitate his
capture stands a chance of reaping $5 million.
A $5million bounty was also placed on Yahya Abou Al-Hammam an alleged
terrorist believed to be behind the 2010 murder of an elderly French
hostage in Niger.
Also being sought are Malik Abou Abdelkarim, described as a senior
AQIM fighter and Oumar Ould Hamaha, spokesman for Mali’s Movement for
Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO). America says it will pay $3
million each to anyone who could help facilitate their arrests.
The U.S. had on June 21, 2012, designated Mr. Shekau, the Boko Haram
leader, a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, under Executive Order
13224.
Mr. Shekau’s whereabouts have however remained unknown.
Last week, he released a video calling on other terrorists in
Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq to support the struggle to enthrone an
Islamic state in Nigeria.
Suspected cult members killed a 19-year-old boy, Obunneke Osondu, in Pedro, Bariga area of Lagos State.
PUNCH Metro learnt that Obunneke
was killed on Saturday by members of Eiye Confraternity, two hours after
leaving his home in Ayinke Street.
The native of Owerri was said to have
had an altercation with the assailants who accused him of being friends
with members of a rival cult, Aiye Confraternity.
A resident, who spoke to our
correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said, “Obunneke left his
home around 8pm to take some bottles of beer at a nearby hotel.
“When he entered the bar, he met some
members of Eiye Confraternity who asked him for money. His refusal to
give them money infuriated them and they accused him of being an Aiye
apologist.
“The boys, later identified as Bonjeu ,
Arinze , Ahmed, Feso, Ayo and Akilapa, who were all in the hotel bar,
then stabbed Obunneke many times as he ran away from the hotel.
“Immediately Obunneke ran outside,a
tricycle driver attempted to take him to Somolu General Hospital, but a
policeman asked that the bleeding Obunneke be brought down from the
tricycle. He then ordered that they go and call the mother to come and
carry her son.”
It was learnt that the tricycle driver went to inform the victim’s relative, but when help arrived, the victim had already died.
It was learnt that the incident worsened
when policemen from Somolu Division stormed the area and started
shooting indiscriminately.
Another youth was said to have died while trying to escape.
An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of
anonymity, said, “While sympathisers gathered at Kusa Street mourning
Obunneke, a group of policemen came and started shooting into the air.
“Everybody started running
helter-skelter to evade arrest. A youth, identified simply as Tiny, who
was trying to escape, fell into a pit, hit his head against the concrete
and died on the spot. When the policemen saw him, they took to their
heels.”
When our correspondent visited
Obunneke’s parents’ home at 30 Ayinke Street, the mother, Irene Osondu,
said the deceased was her youngest child.
She said her son was not a cult member and urged the police authorities to arrest his killers.
She said, “My son was a good boy. He
sold clothes for a living before he was killed. He has a daughter and a
wife and we have not even broken the news to them.
“Police say investigations are ongoing,
but we want justice. His father is currently assisting the police in
their investigation.”
Meanwhile, it was learnt that Tiny was buried at a cemetery in Odogbolu, Ogun State on Monday.
The deputy Police Public Relations Officer for the state command, Damascus Ozoanni, confirmed Obunneke’s murder.
He said, “From what we gathered, a woman
and one Tunde were standing close to Famous Hotel when a guy wielding a
broken bottle stabbed Obunneke. As Obunneke was running for his life,
the assailant picked up a knife at a Suya spot and stabbed him in the
chest.
“Policemen from Somolu Division rushed
to the scene and took him to Jolad Hospital where he was rejected. He
was then taken to Christiana Hospital where he died.”
Remember
that brawl between Chris and Frank Ocean last January outside a
recording studio? Law enforcement revealed shortly after the incident
the case was closed, but it has been found out that's not the case.
It was learned the L.A. County D.A.'s Office has an active file and is deciding whether to prosecute Brown for battery.
It's interesting ... because Ocean never formally pressed charges. Nonetheless ... the case is under review.
It's
possible the Brown/Ocean incident could come up today at Brown's
probation review hearing. Brown is supposed to be in court, and the
judge could raise the issue because Chris was ordered to obey all laws.
Meanwhile, Brown is also being investigated for an alleged hit-and-run.
Wizkid has once more postponed the release of his album which was set to
drop on 12 June. The "Dance For Me" singer revealed that he will
instead drop a new single titled "Talk". This is the second time the
star has pushed back the release of his album.
PARIS (AP) -- Two hours before her French Open final,
Serena Williams practiced on center court, the stands deserted as she
whacked one winner after another to the distant sounds of a brass band
playing on the plaza.
When the music stopped, the seats filled and the match began,
Williams went on defense, relentlessly chasing down one shot after
another to defeat familiar foil Maria Sharapova. With a 6-4, 6-4
victory, the No. 1-ranked Williams won her first French Open
championship since 2002.
''Eleven years,'' Williams said in French during the trophy ceremony.
''I think it's unbelievable. Now I have 16 Grand Slam titles. It's
difficult for me to speak because I'm so excited.''
Then the national anthem played for the first American singles champion at Roland Garros since Williams' previous title.
Williams whacked 10 aces, including three in the final game, and the
last came on match point at 123 mph - her hardest serve of the day. She
then sank to her knees, screamed at the sky and buried her face in the
clay.
The victory completed her rebound from a shocking loss to
111th-ranked Virginie Razzano in the first round at the French Open a
year ago. Since that defeat she's 74-3, including titles at Wimbledon,
the U.S. Open, the London Olympics and the season-ending WTA
Championships.
Both finalists swung with their typical aggressiveness from the
baseline, but Williams' superior serve and defense proved the
difference. She silently ran side to side whipping groundstrokes with
little apparent strain, while Sharapova often found herself lunging
after the ball to stay in the point, with each shot accompanied by her
familiar shriek.
When Williams once summoned a grunt herself to match Sharapova's volume and pound a winner, the crowd responded with a laugh.
Sharapova completed a career Grand Slam by winning Roland Garros last
year, but she's still looking for a breakthrough against Williams, who
has won their past 13 meetings since 2004.
''I played a great tournament and I ran into a really tough champion today,'' Sharapova said.
Lately Williams beats everyone. She extended her career-best winning streak to 31 matches.
At 31, she became the oldest woman to win a major title since Martina
Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1990 at age 33. Her 11-year gap between
Roland Garros titles is the longest for any woman.
Williams, who has a home in Paris, is already thinking about winning again next year.
''I love Paris,'' she said. ''I spend a lot of time here. I live here. I practice here. I think I am a Parisian.''
Williams also congratulated Sharapova during the ceremony.
''She played a beautiful final,'' Williams said in French. ''She's a great champion. I hope to be with her again next year.''
''Merci beaucoup,'' Sharapova responded with a laugh.
In an all-Spanish final Sunday, Rafael Nadal will try to become the
first man to win eight titles at the same Grand Slam event when he plays
first-time major finalist David Ferrer.
The women's final, the first between No. 1 and No. 2 at a Grand Slam
tournament since 2004, wasn't as close as their rankings. It has been 12
years since the most recent three-set women's title match at Roland
Garros.
Playing in hazy, warm weather, the finalists took ferocious swings
from the start. With fans perhaps fearful that Williams would win
quickly, they began shouting encouragement toward Sharapova after she
lost the first two points.
She overcame four break points to hold in the opening game and led
2-0 before Williams began to assert herself. It took Williams 17 minutes
to win a game, but then she swept four in a row.
After Sharapova took the next two for 4-all, Williams surged at the
end of the set, taking the lead for good by winning eight of the final
10 points.
Sharapova had to dig in again to hold at the start of the second set,
fending off five break points, and it was all downhill for her from
there. Williams easily held serve all the way to the finish.
She improved to 16-4 in Grand Slam finals. She leads all active women
with her 16 major titles and is sixth on the all-time list. Margaret
Court holds the record with 24.
Williams improved to 43-2 this
year, including 23-0 on clay. Now comes the switch to grass, and she'll
be a heavy favorite to win Wimbledon for the sixth time.
PRETORIA - Nelson Mandela was back in hospital on Saturday in a
“serious but stable” condition, triggering an outpouring of concern for
South Africa’s beloved national hero at home and across the globe.
Mandela, who turns 95 next month, was admitted to a Pretoria hospital
in the early hours suffering a renewed lung infection, his fourth
hospital stay in seven months and the third this year.
“The truth of the matter is a simple one. Madiba is a fighter and at
his age as long as he is fighting, he’ll be fine,” presidency spokesman
Mac Maharaj told AFP, using Mandela’s clan name.
He said the revered anti-apartheid icon, who has long had problems
with his lungs, was once again suffering pneumonia after being admitted
to hospital in March for 10 days for the same condition.
“His condition deteriorated to the point where it was found necessary
to hospitalise him,” said Maharaj, who served time with Mandela at the
apartheid prison on Robben Island.
“But I am told by the doctors that he is breathing on his own, so I think that is a positive side.”
The ruling ANC called on South Africans and people around the world
to keep “our beloved statesman and icon, Madiba” in their thoughts and
prayers.
The Nobel peace laureate is revered around the world as a symbol of
peace and forgiveness after leading South Africa into multi-race
democracy as its first black president after decades of apartheid rule.
His readmission to hospital — and the acknowledgement that his
condition is serious — sparked concern at home and around the world, as
South Africans grappled with their hero’s increasing frailty.
“My thoughts are with Nelson Mandela, who is in hospital in South Africa,” tweeted British Prime Minister David Cameron.
“Getting too frequent and concerning — he is 94,” tweeted Zwelinzima
Vavi, general secretary of Cosatu, the powerful labour union allied to
the ANC.
Mandela as receiving care at his Johannesburg home when the lung problems returned.
He was diagnosed with early-stage tuberculosis in 1988 during his 27
years in jail during white minority rule. He has also had treatment for
prostate cancer and has suffered stomach ailments.
The government has not disclosed where he has been taken, although in
the past he has been treated at the Mediclinic Heart Hospital in the
capital Pretoria.
In December 2012, he was hospitalised for 18 days for a lung
infection and for gallstones surgery, his longest stay since he walked
free from 27 years in jail in 1990. In March he was admitted for an
overnight scheduled check-up before returning later that month for a
10-day stay.
President Jacob Zuma’s office said Mandela was “receiving expert
medical care and doctors are doing everything possible to make him
better and comfortable”.
The presidency wished Mandela a speedy recovery with a request for his and his family’s privacy to be respected.
Mandela is still a powerful symbol of peace and unity almost 20 years
after first taking power as South Africa’s first black leader.
But he has not been seen in public since the World Cup final in July 2010.
After serving just one term in office he turned his energy into the
battle against AIDS and resolving conflicts particularly in Africa,
before announcing in 2004 at the age of 85 that he was stepping out of
the public eye.
In March, Zuma appeared to prepare the nation for the passing of the father of the “Rainbow Nation”.
“In Zulu, when someone passes away who is very old, people say he or
she has gone home. I think those are some of the things we should be
thinking about,” Zuma told the BBC.
The release of television footage in April showing a frail Mandela
being visited at home by leaders of the ruling ANC after his previous
hospital stay sparked outrage and accusations that the party was
exploiting Mandela.
An unsmiling, distant and frail Mandela was shown seated upright on a
couch, his legs covered in a blanket and his head propped up by a
pillow.
The African National Congress — facing elections next year — has
struggled to convince the public that it is still the party of Mandela,
amid widespread corruption, poverty and poor public services.
Mandela’s own family has also been locked in a feud over control of various companies.
“It’s sad because he’s our icon,” said Faith Mashaba outside the Pretoria hospital.
But there was also growing acceptance of his age.
“I think we must not worry that much about his health,” said Calvin
Netshifhefhe, saying it was normal for elderly people to get sick.
“But I think people just love him, they just want to see him alive.”
Popular Nollywood actor, Emeka Ike who happened to be at the centre
of the crisis that polarised the Actors Guild of Nigeria, AGN about
three years ago, has opened up on why he decided to allow peace to reign
in the guild, saying that it was his wife who made it possible.
It would be recalled that Emeka dragged the Board of Trustees of AGN
to court about three years ago to challenge the leadership of Segun
Arinze as president of the guild. He prayed that the court should
declare an election that brought him into office null and void.
While the case lingered in court, the guild did not know any peace as Emeka vowed to sanitise the actors’ body at all cost.
But surprisingly, embattled Emeka Ike suddenly withdrew into his
shell after the election of Ms Ibinabo Fiberesima as the first president
of the guild. And many industry watchers have been wondering what
might have been responsible for the actor’s decision to sheathe his
sword.
But Emeka has this explanation to offer to whosoever cares to
listen; “My wife pleaded with me that for the sake of our children, I
should forget about the AGN palaver. She said to me that those whom I’m
fighting for are not even recognising what I’m doing for them. My
husband, please let go the matter for the sake of our children”, Emeka
recounted while in a chat with HVP, recently.
As part of strategies to contain
terrorism in Africa, the police will on June 10 deploy 140 personnel to
Mali in support of the ECOWAS and Africa Union-led peace initiative.
Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed
Abubakar, stated this on Friday shortly before handing over the Nigerian
and Police flags to the Commissioner of Police in charge of
Peacekeeping, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The flags are symbols of authority, which empower the troops to represent the nation and force in Mali.
The personnel drawn from the Formed
Police Unit consists of specialised sections trained in riot control and
counter-terrorism and, are equipped with modern crime-fighting and
peacekeeping equipment.
Abubakar tasked them to take their assignment seriously and be good ambassadors of the force as well as the nation.
The IG counselled the personnel to be
dedicated, committed, honest and professional; to shun all forms of
vices and respect human rights while keeping the peace in Mali.
Currently, the force has seven staff
officers in Mali including Deputy Commissioner of Police Subair Kamar,
who is in charge of the African Mission in Mali.
The IG reminded them that the force had
created outstanding record of good performance in peacekeeping missions,
making the African Union Commission in recent time to commend the force
peacekeepers in Somalia.
The Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Ola
Ibrahim, congratulated the officers for being selected to keep the peace
in Mali and also charged them to be true ambassadors of the force and
nation.
Represented by Maj.-Gen. Hussain Saliu, he warned them to behave professionally as they would be closely monitored.
Nigeria’s ambassador to Ethiopia and
permanent representative to the AU, Mr. Bulus Lolo, noted that
peacekeeping was one of the areas where the country had excelled in its
foreign policy.
Lolo said it was a privilege and honour
for anyone to be called upon to serve the country in any capacity and
charged them to “be peacekeepers and not peace abusers,” and to “expect
the unexpected.”
He said when they found themselves in a difficult situation, they should be guided by the best of judgment.
The deployment to Mali brings to 10 the
number of countries where officers and men of the Nigeria Police are
currently keeping the peace.
The other countries are Cote d’ Voire, DRC, East Timor, Guinea Bissau, Haiti, Liberia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan.
The Chief Executive Officer,
Etisalat Nigeria Mr.Steve Evans, has described the celebrated porting
of the comedian Hafiz Oyetoro popularly known as Saka as a mistake,
noting that he will return back to Etisalat fold after 90 days.
Speaking
in Lagos yesterday at a media Roundtable on Mobile
Number Portability (MNP), Evans noted that “We all make mistakes in
life” and the decision by Saka to port from Etisalat to a rival network
MTN Nigeria was one of such mistakes on the part of the comedian.
In
what could be regarded as one of the official statement by any high
ranking staff of Etisalat since Saka ported over a month ago, Evans
said he is hoping Saka would realise his mistakes and port back at the
end of the 90 days grace period given by the Nigerian Communications
Commission (NCC) for subscribers to port back to any other than his
original network.
The CEO noted that Etisalat was well prepared
for the MNP and has built and expanded its network to accommodate over
30 million subscribers which is double its present capacity.
He
noted that his company has recorded very impressive results since
the MNP kicked off on April22. Though he refused to provide the details
but said he was satisfied with the report he was getting from his men on
the field.
Furthermore, Evans maintained that his company has improved tremendously in its Key Performance -indicator (KPI) ratings.
PARIS (AP) -- Two hours before her French Open final,
Serena Williams practiced on center court, the stands deserted as she
whacked one winner after another to the distant sounds of a brass band
playing on the plaza.
Speaking
in Lagos yesterday at a media Roundtable on Mobile
Number Portability (MNP), Evans noted that “We all make mistakes in
life” and the decision by Saka to port from Etisalat to a rival network
MTN Nigeria was one of such mistakes on the part of the comedian.