THE HEADLINES

In Sign Of Grave Illness, President Buhari Extends Vacation

2017-02-05T22:22:00.000-08:00

In a clear sign of his serious illness, President Muhammadu Buhari has extended his medical vacation in the United Kingdom. This is the second such extension since Mr. Buhari left Nigeria a fortnight ago to travel to London in what his spokesmen described as a vacation cum medical checkup.

In a short statement released today, presidential spokesman Femi Adesina disclosed that Mr. Buhari had sent a letter today to the National Assembly indicating “his desire to extend his leave in order to complete and receive the results of a series of tests recommended by his doctors.”

However, two sources at the Presidency told SaharaReporters that the President may need to be absent from Nigeria for as long as four months in order to undergo surgical procedures to address myriads of medical issues confronting the aged leader.

One of our sources said President Buhari requires a major surgery. “The surgery will entail him staying away from work for at least four months, but members of his kitchen cabinet, afraid of losing their influence and power, have been advising him against staying abroad for such a prolonged treatment,” said one of the sources.

The statement issued by Mr. Adesina was silent on the exact date of the President's return.

Even as a presidential candidate, Mr. Buhari was dogged by questions of his health status, but he and his handlers always insisted that he had no significant illnesses. However, his frequent trips abroad for medical treatment or evaluations suggest that he may be facing more critical health crises than he and his handlers have admitted.

Mr. Adesina stated that Mr. Buhari “had planned to return to Abuja this evening, but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning. The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President, and Speaker, House of Representatives.”

The spokesman added that the president “expresses his sincere gratitude to Nigerians for their concern, prayers and kind wishes.”

President Buhari’s emaciated look and apparent lapses of memory, evident in misattribution of the meaning of his party’s acronym as well as a misstatement of Vice Present Yemi Osinbajo’s name, have raised questions about his physical and mental preparedness to bear the burden of his office.

Source: SAHARA REPORTERS

Nigerian Customs Confiscates 661 Firearms In Lagos

2017-01-30T11:14:00.001-08:00

A large cache of arms enough to arm a battalion of soldiers has been confiscated by the Nigerian Customs Service in Lagos.

The Comptroller General, Colonel Hameed Ali, (rtd) on Monday, told newsmen at Ikeja, that despite the Federal Government’s ban on pump action and other firearms, 661 pieces of the rifle were found in 49 boxes.

According to him, they were concealed in steel doors and other merchandise goods in a 40-feet container conveyed in a Mack truck with registration number BDG 265 XG in Apapa axis of Lagos.

Colonel Ali said that three suspects have been arrested in connection with the illegal importation.

SOURCE: Channels Television

Trump order barring refugees, migrants from Muslim countries triggers chaos, outrage

2017-01-28T13:52:00.000-08:00

President Trump’s executive order barring refugees and migrants from predominantly Muslim countries from entry into the United States rippled across the world on Saturday, causing widespread confusion, triggering outrage among immigrant advocates and leading to the detention at U.S. airports of people flying into the country.

In addition to blocking all entries from seven countries, including business people, students and others, the ban is also being applied to U.S. legal residents from those nations — so-called green card holders — who were traveling abroad at the time the order was signed, federal officials said Saturday.

Those familiar with the order, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they said its rollout had been chaotic, said green card holders currently in the United States will not be affected. They noted that the Department of Homeland Security is allowed to grant waivers to those individuals and others deemed to not pose a threat to national security.

“If you’ve been living in the United States for 15 years and you own a business and your family is here, will you be granted a waiver? I’m assuming yes, but we are working that out,’’ said one official, who could not be more specific because details of the possible waivers remained cloudy, as did many other details of how the ban will be enforced.

President Trump signed an executive order halting all refugees from entering the U.S. for 120 days, among other provisions. Here's what the order says.

But officials made clear that the federal officers detaining refugees and migrants holding valid U.S. visas and restricting them from entering the country were following orders handed down by top DHS officials. Those orders, the officials said, reflect the desires of Trump’s White House.

The president’s order, signed Friday, suspends admission to the United States of all refugees for 120 days and bars for 90 days the entry of any citizens from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Libya and Somalia. Trump said that the goal is to screen out “radical Islamic terrorists” and that priority for admission would be given to Christians.

The executive action has caused “complete chaos” and torn apart families, said Abed Ayoub, legal and policy director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. “It’s causing a negative and destructive impact on the Arab-American community,” Ayoub said.

The White House on Saturday rushed to explain and defend its action, saying it strengthens national security and denying that it targeted Muslims. “The notion that this is a Muslim ban is ludicrous,” one senior administration official said. A second official noted that many majority-Muslim countries, including Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey, were excluded from the measure.

And House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), who frequently clashed with Trump during the presidential campaign, strongly backed the president’s executive order. “This is not a religious test and it is not a ban on people of any religion,’’ he said. “This order does not affect the vast majority of Muslims in the world. It does not affect a large number of nations that are Muslim-majority.’’

...

SOURCE: The WASHINGTON POST

BREAKING: Pastor Adeboye retires as General Overseer of RCCG

2017-01-07T06:50:00.000-08:00

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Saturday appointed a new General Overseer for the RCCG Nigeria as he retires, ahead of his 75th birthday on 2 March.

The new GO is Pastor Joshua Obayemi. Adeboye was born on March 2, 1942, in Ifewara, Osun State.

Pastor Adeboye had his B.Sc. in Mathematics at University of Nigeria Nsukka, and subsequently got his PhD in applied mathematics from the University of Lagos, and worked as a lecturer in Mathematics at the universities of Lagos and Ilorin, before going into full time priesthood in 1984.

After joining the RCCG in 1973, he began working to translate the sermons of its then Pastor and founder, Rev. Josiah Olufemi Akindayomi, from Yoruba into English.

In 1981, Adeboye was appointed General Overseer of the church. He took over from Papa Akindayomi, who had died the previous year. For three years he performed the role part-time, still lecturing at Ilorin.

He finally gave up his university position to preach full-time. The church, which was not well known prior to Adeboye’s ascendance has grown phenomenally, to become Nigeria’s biggest, with branches globally in about 190 countries, including more than 14,000 in Nigeria.

Adeboye has stated that his aim is to put a church within five minutes of every person on Earth. He married Adenike, now 68 in 1967. She was born on 13th July 1948.

Obayemi was appointed the new GO at the Annual Ministers Thanksgiving at Shimawa, in Ogun State.

The newly appointed GO was the former Special Assistant to the General Overseer on Finance. Adeboye also appointed Pastor Johnson Odesola, who was the Special Assistant on Administration and Personnel, as the church Secretary.

Source: PUNCH NEWSPAPER

BREAKING: Police dismiss six personnel attached to Gov. Nyesom Wike

2017-01-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

The police have dismissed an Inspector and five sergeants attached to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, over alleged misuse of firearms during the legislative rerun in the state in December last year.

They are ex-Inspct. Eyong Victor, ex-Sgts. Peter Ekpo, Oguni Goodluck, Orji Nwoke, Okpe Ezekiel and Tanko Akor.

The errant operatives were said to have stormed the Port Harcourt City Council Secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by the Independent National Electoral Commission in disobedience to senior officers present.

Their actions were said to be contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237.

Parading the former policemen on Friday in Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, Donald Awunah stated that despite strict warnings from the Inspector-General of Police that all personnel on election duty should be of good conduct and desist from escorting their principals to polling units throughout the period of the election, the recalcitrant operatives were found blatantly breaching the directive.

This, he added, was unacceptable by all standards in the Force, noting that in the course of discreet investigations, the dismissed personnel were found to have in total disrespect to orders and directives, compromised, engaged in unprofessional acts and other unbecoming conduct.

Awunah said, “These aforementioned police personnel while in the convoy of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on the date of election on December 10, 2016 misused the firearms in their possession contrary to the provisions of Force Order 237.

“The personnel became overzealous, took laws into their hands and opened fire, causing panic in the crowd.

“They joined in storming the Port Harcourt City Council Secretariat and prevented the movement of election results of Emouha polling unit to the appropriate collation centre designated by INEC, in flagrant disregard and disobedience to senior police officers present at the venue.”

The spokesman stated that the operatives, after the conclusion of investigation into the public mischief, were subjected to internal disciplinary measures, found guilty and consequently dismissed from the Force.

“They will be prosecuted under the Electoral Act to serve as a deterrent to others,” he stressed, noting that the personnel’s misconduct, if not checked could be inimical to discipline and proper administration of the Force.

Awunah added, “Their actions are capable of bringing the entire Nigeria Police Force to disrepute and portray the Force in a very bad light as a lawless organization not guided by the rule of law.”

The former policemen protested loudly against their dismissal as they were taken away in handcuffs.

Source: PUNCH NEWSPAPER

Police Raid Patience Jonathan's House In Abuja

2017-01-04T14:36:00.001-08:00

It was reported that some men of the Nigeria Police Force on Wednesday in Abuja, raided the home of the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience.

The building is located along Igbeti Rock Street, Maitama. It was gathered that, apart from the private security guards, no other person was within the premises when the policemen arrived.

More than 20 policemen, who came in three Hilux vans and another Toyota Hiace bus, were said to have forced themselves into the building.

They were said to have broken into the building and went away with a brown envelope.

A source, who witnessed the incident, told a correspondent of Sahara Reporters that the heavily armed policemen were brief in their operation.

The source said, "Men of the Nigerian Police Force raided the home of the former First Lady, Patience, today. A reporter from one of the television stations who witnessed the event was harassed by security officers and her phone was seized.

"The operation, which took place at Igbeti Rock Street, started at about 5pm. The policemen came in four vehicles and they also took away one hefty brown envelope. They didn't speak to us on why they came or on the contents of the envelope."

Source: SAHARA REPORTERS

Ex-NIMASA Director General, Omatseye Sentenced to 5-year Jail Term

2016-05-20T15:17:00.001-07:00

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos on Friday sentenced a former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration Safety Agency, Mr. Raymond Temisan Omatseye, to five years in prison over a N1.5bn contract scam.
Omatseye was arraigned before the court on a 27-count charge bordering on alleged contract variation, bid rigging and awarding contract above his approval limit. At the resumed hearing of the matter on Monday, 14 March, the prosecution counsel, Godwin Obla, SAN, and defence counsel, E. D Onyeke made their final addresses and adopted them before the court.

Onyeke filed and served the court and prosecution a written address and adopted it.

He urged the court to dismiss the case against the former NIMASA boss on the grounds that, the prosecution has not been able to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Obla also adopted his written address and expressed confidence that the 27-count charge against the defendant has been proved beyond all reasonable doubt and prayed the court to find the defendant guilty of all the charges.

According to Obla, 25 counts of the charges preferred against Omatseye dwelt on the approval of contract above the threshold level and the other two counts dealt with bid rigging. He also said that, contrary to existing regulations, contract was awarded to a company that was the highest bidder and which was not even pre-qualified for the contract.

Source - SAHARA REPORTERS

Interview with Olufemi Okunlola "X-Hitz": Creator and Executive Producer of the TV Show 'Spoofs Central'

2013-09-17T02:14:00.000-07:00

Olufemi Okunlola popularly known as X-Hitz plays a major role as the catalyst driving the TV shows in Nigeria at the moment in some of the popular television series airing across the spectrum. He's one of those guys behind the camera that brings the creative notch to the TV shows of now. He's the Executive producer of the new TV series; Spoofs Central...Excerpts:

Q: When did you decide to get into TV/Show business?
'I had an intense desire to be successful even though, to be honest, I had no idea what any of this entailed. I always had a fascination for the movies; and television. I loved WILD WILD WEST, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, all those wonderful shows. I was so naïve, I had no idea you could work and earn money writing TV shows. I had always wanted to change the face of the TV someday, you know bring out something out of the regular norm.'

Q: What does an Executive Producer do exactly?

'As creator and executive producer, I have the final say -- I can always be trumped by the network, but basically it all falls into my lap. It involves hiring writers, cast and crew, rewriting, casting, scouting locations, post with edits and mix, and delivery to the TV stations. So, it's the whole ball of wax.'

Q: What is your writing process?
'My writing process is to do the rough draft on the computer, print it out, and do the rewrites with pen and paper. It somehow works better for me; it slows me down; rewriting is totally different process than writing.'

Q: What is the nature of Television Writing?
'Each week we create scripts in which we need to know how to develop a story through character, create dramatic events that are organic to the story, that just don't happen. It's rare to see character driven movies like 'TORN', which was all about character versus being event, big scene loosely tied together with looser narrative.
In television writing, we offer tightly plotted stories, deeply etched characters that we know a lot about. We're creating 24 little movies every season to explore these people's lives. In television, your goal is to cast an actor for whom the character becomes an extension of his personality. It's a fine line.'

Q: What do you see as being the biggest impact, good or bad, Reality TV has had on the Industry?
'Reality is nothing new. We just have a new term for it. Reality is the oldest genre, dating back to variety shows that helped television get started. Today we call Nigeria Idol a reality show format, but it’s really an old-time singing competition. Ultimately there’s nothing new in reality other than its packaging, but it has allowed for a diversification and broadening of the number of channels that can provide original content because reality can be done cost effectively and with less production. This has helped the cable universe become extremely successful and gain audience share on an annual basis. I would say that’s probably reality’s biggest impact—allowing for a broad spectrum of channel line ups that tell a multiplicity of stories.'

On set of Spoofs Central episodes - Femi Okunlola

Q: And for viewers?
It’s diversity again. I think reality pushes dramas to be great. I think the unscripted genre makes the scripted television better. They feed each other. Overall it creates a healthier entertainment industry.

Q: Can you share with us the current focus of Spoofs Central, with regard to producing? Is there a specific mandate?

'Spoofs Central’s ultimate mandate is to bring a new twist to regular comedy shows you have around right now, everything is all recycled, we want to generate new formats and intellectual property for the world market and to feed into our parent company’s distribution chain. The Nigeria Entertainment industry is an incredibly important market around the world today, and we have had a long track record of creating original ideas. We want to continue to create, develop and produce original formats that we can feed into the international market because I believe there’s a need for even more new and interesting ideas.'

Q: What is the most challenging part of being the creator and executive producer?
"Maintaining an even keel in my head and heart. Not taking silly sh*t personally and always creatively pushing the writers to be entertaining and truthful and come up with things we haven't seen before."

Q: What was growing up like?
I come from a very disciplined home. My dad made sure we were very neat and ensured we had good education. In fact, my primary school curriculum is better than most secondary school curricular today. It’s really unfortunate. My dad was very mean, in a good way, because he made sure everything had to be right. Part of it rubbed off on me.

Q: People say you are a ‘ladies man’. Is that true?
That’s a lie; I’m a serious person. I don’t mess around, and if ladies like me, I don’t fall for their antics. I see a lot of them on a daily basis, so it's strictly professional to me. I have been tried several times..

Q: What advice can you give to some of the upcoming TV show Producers at the DelYork movie school breaking into the industry?

'Many have option deals, but just can't get that one project to go the distance for production.First, be as literate as you humanly and possibly can, because the ability to articulate an idea is as important as anything in the business. Hone your skills and really pay attention to your ability to articulate an idea in an energetic, interesting, and smart way. Secondly, don’t always listen. You need to take all of the advice that you get on your ideas with a grain of salt because ultimately everyone’s going to have an idea and an opinion. If you believe in your ideas, you have to stick with them because passion and skill will rule at the end of the day.

There are so many people who believe they know what’s best, but they’re all at best opinions. There is no right answer. If there was a formula for making a hit TV show, there’d be more hit TV shows. You’ll walk into a thousand offices for a thousand pitches and they’ll all be absolutely convinced they know exactly what their audience wants.

Thank you for sharing your moment with us, I'll like to say it's been a pleasure having this sit-down with you Olufemi. Thank you for your time and Goodluck!

Osama Dead – Censored Video Leaked Wikileaks Video Facebook Spam

2011-05-04T11:27:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, a Facebook scam was spreading across about a Shocking NEW VIDEO of Osama Bin Laden’s DEATH!!!. The video was obviously fake but it spread wildly across Facebook.

Today morning, a new kind of scam is spreading on Facebook where another fake Osama Bin Laden video is being circulated on Facebook. The new spam is spreading with the text; "Watch the Osama Shoot Down video – Osama Dead – Censored Video Leaked – Osama is dead, watch this exclusive CNN video which was censored by Obama Administration due to level of violence, a must watch. Leaked by Wikileaks."

The scammers are using the name of the whistle blowing organization; Wikileaks, to make people think that the video is genuine. However, the video is a scam. Clicking on the link will take you to a fan page (which is being liked by more than 45K people right now) and ask you to complete a new 5 second security check before you can watch the video.

However, following the steps listed does nothing and the fan page will instead post a message to your wall and your friends with a link to the fan page. This Facebook scam is a bit different from yesterday as it does not ask users to fill out stupid surveys, but once this gets widespread it could exploit users differently.

Please be aware that this scam is also spreading under various other links including "Osama Bin Laden Execution Video", "Aljazira Newz – Ossama Biin Ladden Raid Video Scam" and "Shocking NEW VIDEO of Osama Bin Ladens DEATH!!!" among others. Do not click any link that claims to show you Osama Bin Laden’s videos or pictures, it is all a sham. I believe that this scam might be spreading in various other ways too and might go on for next few weeks.

As a precautionary measure, always check which applications you use and remove unwanted or suspicious ones. If you aren’t sure how to do it, you can always check our guide on removing apps from Facebook. In addition to that, don’t forget to check out our article about Avoiding Facebook Lifejacking and Clickjacking scams.

September 11 Attack Mastermind Osama Bin Laden Dead!

2011-05-02T02:29:00.000-07:00

Osama bin Laden, the glowering mastermind behind the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks that killed thousands of Americans, was slain in his luxury hideout in Pakistan early Monday in a firefight with U.S. forces, ending a manhunt that spanned a frustrating decade.

"Justice has been done," President Barack Obama said in a dramatic announcement at the White House.

A jubilant crowd of thousands gathered outside the White House as word spread of bin Laden's death. Hundreds more sang and waved American flags at Ground Zero in New York — where the twin towers that once stood as symbols of American economic power were brought down by bin Laden's hijackers 10 years ago.

Another hijacked plane slammed into the Pentagon on that cloudless day, and a fourth was commandeered by passengers who forced it to the ground — at cost of their own lives — before it could reach its intended target in Washington.

The United States attacked Afghanistan within months, pursuing al-Qaida, and an invasion of Iraq followed as part of the Bush administration's global war on terror.

U.S. officials said the CIA tracked bin Laden to his location, then elite troops from Navy SEAL Team Six, a top military counter-terrorism unit, flew to the hideout in four helicopters. Bin Laden was shot in the head in an ensuing firefight, these officials said, adding that he and his guards had resisted his attackers. U.S. personnel identified him by facial recognition, the official said, declining to say whether DNA analysis had also been used.

The U.S. team took custody of bin Laden's remains. A U.S. official later said bin Laden had been buried at sea and the remains were handled in accordance with Islamic practice, which calls for speedy burial.

The official, who spoke Monday on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters, said it would have been difficult to find a country willing to accept the remains. The official did not say where the body was buried.

Obama said no Americans were harmed in the operation. Three adult males were also killed in the raid, including one of bin Laden's sons, whom officials did not name. One of bin Laden's sons, Hamza, is a senior member of al-Qaida. U.S. officials also said one woman was killed when she was used as a shield by a male combatant, and two other women were injured.

The operation occurred in pre-dawn darkness on Monday in Pakistan — Sunday afternoon in Washington. Obama went on television late Sunday night to make the announcement.

Bin Laden's death marks a psychological triumph in a long struggle that began with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and seems certain to give Obama a political lift. But its ultimate impact on al-Qaida is less clear.

The greatest terrorist threat to the U.S. is now considered to be the al-Qaida franchise in Yemen, far from al-Qaida's core in Pakistan. The Yemen branch almost took down a U.S.-bound airliner on Christmas 2009 and nearly detonated explosives aboard two U.S. cargo planes last fall. Those operations were carried out without any direct involvement from bin Laden.

Obama provided few details of the operation beyond to say that he had personally ordered it be carried out. Other officials said it was so secretive that no foreign officials were informed in advance, and only a small circle inside the administration was aware of what was unfolding half a world away.

But within hours of the announcement, Pakistani officials and a witness said bin Laden's guards had opened fire from the roof of the building, and one of the choppers crashed. The sound of at least two explosions rocked the small northwestern town of Abbottabad, where the al-Qaida chief made his last stand.

Flames were visible after the attack on the building, which was located about 100 yards from the gates of a Pakistani military academy — certain to raise questions about al-Qaida's ability to build a custom-made hideout in such close proximity.

Abbottabad, surrounded by hills and with mountains in the distance, is less than half a day's drive from the border region with Afghanistan, where most intelligence assessments believed bin Laden was holed up.

The White House said Obama convened at least nine meetings with top national security officials in the lead-up to Sunday's raid.

The president spent part of the day on the golf course, but cut his round short to return to the White House for a meeting where he and top national security aides reviewed final preparations for the raid.

Two hours later, Obama was told that bin Laden had been tentatively identified.

CIA director Leon Panetta was directly in charge of the military team during the operation, according to one official, and when he and his aides received word at agency headquarters that bin Laden had been killed, cheers broke out around the conference room table.

Halfway around the world, in Abbotabad, one witness described a military raid carried out under darkness.

"I heard a thundering sound, followed by heavy firing. Then firing suddenly stopped. Then more thundering, then a big blast," said Mohammad Haroon Rasheed. "In the morning when we went out to see what happened, some helicopter wreckage was lying in an open field."

A Pakistani official in the town said fighters on the roof opened fire on the choppers with rocket-propelled grenades. Another official said the four helicopters took off from the Ghazi air base in northwest Pakistan.

The U.S. and Pakistani officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

Obama said he gave the order for the operation after receiving intelligence information that he did not further describe.

Former President George W. Bush, who was in office on the day of the attacks, issued a written statement hailing bin Laden's death as a momentous achievement. "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," he said.

Senior administration officials said the terrorist mastermind was found inside a custom-built compound with two security gates. They said it appeared to have been constructed to harbor one high-value target and that for undisclosed reasons, officials believed the hideout was bin Laden's.

The stunning end to the world's most widely-watched manhunt came just months before the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and Pentagon, orchestrated by al-Qaida, that killed nearly 3,000 people.

The attacks a decade ago seemed to come out of nowhere, even though al-Qaida had previously struck American targets overseas.

The terrorists hijacked planes, flew one of them into one of Manhattan's Twin Towers — and, moments later, into the other one. Both buildings collapsed, trapping thousands inside and also claiming the lives of firefighters and others who had rushed to help them.

A third plane slammed into the Pentagon, defacing the symbol of America's military night. Officials have speculated that the fourth plane had been heading for the U.S. Capitol or perhaps even the White House when it crashed in Pennsylvania.

Based on statements given by U.S. detainees, intelligence officials have known for years that bin Laden trusted one al-Qaida courier in particular, and they believed he might be living with him in hiding. In November, intelligence officials found out where he was living, a huge fortified compound. It was surrounded by walls as high as 18 feet high, topped with barbed wire. There were two security gates and no phone or Internet running into the house.

Intelligence officials believed the $1 million home was custom-built to harbor a major terrorist. CIA experts analyzed whether it could be anyone else, but time and again, they decided it was almost certainly bin Laden.

Obama spoke with Bush and former President Bill Clinton Sunday night to inform them of the developments.

The president struck a less than boastful tone in his brief announcement, although he said the death of bin Laden was "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaida.

"His death does not mark the end of our effort. There's no doubt that al-Qaida will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must and we will remain vigilant," he added.

Moments after Obama spoke, the State Department put U.S. embassies on alert and warned of the heightened possibility for anti-American violence. In a worldwide travel alert, the department said there was an "enhanced potential for anti-American violence given recent counterterrorism activity in Pakistan."

Bode, Where Is Tibi?

2011-04-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

(In the compound of a sprawling mansion in Lagos. Riotous singing and drumming by aso-ebi clad supporters)

A ti nreti re, ka'abo se dada lo de (Welcome, how was your journey)
A ti nreti re, ka'abo se dada lo de (We’ve been expecting your arrival)

Winner o o o winner
Winner o o o winner
Lagos Boy you don win o winner
Patapata you go win forever
Winner

"Madam Roli, Madam Roli, can you tell our people outside to reduce the noise? I am trying to have a word with Bode on behalf of the elders' caucus of the PDP. We need to debrief your husband".

"Ok, Baba, I will tell them. I hope your people are fine in Otta sir"

“O kare iyawo wa. Ku afoju ba once again. (Well done, our dear wife, happy to see your husband uhn).Your husband is looking younger even after enemies have done their worst."

"Em...Baba, Roli is my wife o. Not our wife. I am still alive abeg. I only went to jail. Anyway, Roli, se awon supporters won yen ti jeun? (Roli, have those supporters eaten?) Good. Tell them to reduce the noise like Baba said. Tell them we are expecting twelve more trailers of cows tomorrow for distribution to each ward. The remaining five trailers of aso-ebi should be reserved for the women's delegation coming from Abuja."

"Bode, once again, ka'abo (You are welcome). We thank God. Where are the traitors behind your travails today? (Awon da loni?) One languished in a hospital in Saudi Arabia before returning home to meet his maker. The rest of that rude and power drunk cabal is history. They did all this to you just to get to me. Awon afore su ni se buruku. (bunch of foolish ingrates)"

"Baba, e ku ile once again (Baba, its good to be back once again). I am so happy to be back with you and I am moved to tears by all the support from our people. Our convoy could hardly move through the crowd of supporters. We even performed better than when Alamsco returned from London to warm embrace of his people in Akwa Ibom. God has really honored us. But where is Gbenga and Ayo? They came to the church and should have followed us home in the convoy."

(Baba laughs)

"Why? Am I missing something?"

"Ah Bode; see what prison has done to you. God soda Yar'Adua's mouth wherever he is. I thought they allowed you to read newspaper and watch TV in the presidential wing of kirikiri that we arranged for you?"

"I still don't understand what I am missing here."

"Well, all lizards lie prostrate. How to tell the one with a bellyache?"

"Meaning?"

"Haba, Bode, you no longer know the meaning of all lizards lie prostrate? A ni gbogbo alangba lo danu de le. ("Well, all lizards lie prostrate. How to tell the one with a bellyache?") Just because you saw Gbenga Daniel and Ayo Fayose in court does not mean that they are still with us"

"O ti o. (it’s a lie) Those are our boys now"

"Ah, Bode, things happened while you were away! Iya je mi! (I was humiliated) You won't believe that Gbenga became so power drunk and arrogant that he started pointing in the direction of Otta with his left hand!"

"Haba, Gbenga cannot do that to you. He cannot do that to us! Mo j'eri e (I trust him). Gbenga is a river that came into being before our very eyes. How can its current sweep one away?"

"That's what my eyes saw o, Bode, but I still dey kampe sha."

"So Gbenga is truly misbehaving? What happened? We were around when that boy was born. (Oju wa na se bi). We even watched him grow up. How can he turn against you, Baba?"

"That's life for you, Bode. Osoba won that election but we did our usual do and gave Gbenga egusi soup but has now drenched his chest with palm oil. But Gbenga's own is even small o. The arifin (disrespect) I have been receiving from Fayose is worse"

"Ehn, Ayo Fayose too?"

"Yes o, I don't even know the mouth with which to tell that one's story. That bastard saw me in Okuku and called me a father of bastards."

"Eewo! Abomination! Fayose said that to you?"

"Look, Bode, today is not the day to talk about all these useless boys that we picked up from gutter and made governors. We have work to do. We have so much lost territory to reconquer. We lost most of the southwest in your absence. And Fayose has been misbehaving here in Lagos like the rat that became landlord in the absence of the cat"

"This is all so depressing Baba. How did we lose Ekiti, Ondo and Osun? Where was Goodluck Jonathan?"

"Jonathan? Bode, please don't mention tails in the presence of frogs. I have been trying hard to use patience in my dealings with that man."

"And its not working? Didn't they say that she controls the man?"

"Who is talking about his wife? I mean one needs patience to deal with Goodluck because of his perpetual sme sme (slow motion). He has been misbehaving on the do-or-die front. He is not delivering at all. For instance, he was supposed to have announced a presidential pardon for you as part of a process of national healing before our convoy arrived here from church. That is what we instructed him to do. We also asked him to upgrade your national honor to GCON. Once your rehabilitation is complete, I am thinking of retiring and handling over the mantle of Founder of Modern Nigeria to you."

"That is true o. I am surprised that he hasn't announced my presidential pardon yet. Maybe he wants to announce it when I join him for breakfast in the Villa next week."

"He has surrounded himself with too many drunken fishermen sailors who are talking nonsense and making him wobble and fumble through every assignment we give him. Just imagine what he did with our winning formula for the April elections."

"What's the formula, Baba?"

"As you know, we are going to win the election the usual way and we expect Buhari, Ribadu, and Utomi to go to court as usual after addressing press conferences with my friend, Jimmy Carter. We know what will happen when they get to Supreme Court because the judgment to be read by Katsina-Alu and supported by Ogebe will be written by some of my boys in Otta. Infact we already have anticipatory drafts and Katsina-Alu will be in Otta to practice judgment delivery next week. Our only problem is the Court of Appeal where Justice Ayo Salami has refused to play ball so far. We asked Goodluck to take care of that problem."

"That's a small problem now."

"That's what we thought. Jonathan outsourced the assignment to Katsina-Alu and they somehow bungled it. The whole thing exploded in our faces, causing us untold embarrassment. Now, the man is still there as President of the Appeal court and that could cause a lot of problems for us in April."

"That's true Baba. That is one problem we need to solve immediately. Why didnt they just use the Esa Oke protocol? Didn't anyone think of that?"

"Ofcourse we thought of the Esa-Oke protocol. One of my boys even mentioned it to me again recently during Oyinlola's birthday thanksgiving in Okuku but after careful consideration we decided to just leave that option on the table for now."

"That's good, Baba but I hope that Anenih, Andy Uba, Ahmadu Ali, Babaginda, and all our other people are aware we may need to put that option to good use after April...."

"Yes, our people are fully aware of that. Let's talk serious business jare. Bode, where is tibi?"

"Tibi?"

"Yes, Bode, what about Tibi? Where is Tibi?"

"Baba, I don't understand the tibi that you are talking about o."

"Bode; you just love to joke with serious matters. Abeg, talk better jare. A o r'ojo mu so l'okun. (The day is far spent). I still need to get to Otta today."

"Baba, I'm serious o. I don't understand the tibi that you are talking about. E tu mi nle. (Unbind me.)”

"Bode, are you serious?"

"Baba I'm not joking o."

"Bode, you are starting to annoy me o. Must I speak with the full compliment of my mouth?"

"Baba, I honestly don't understand what you are talking about."

"I am talking about the eighty billion naira."

"Eighty Billion?"

"Bode, you are misbehaving o. Did the judge who sent you to prison ask you to refund kobo? Look at what happened to Tafa Balogun, Lucky Igbinedion, and Cecilia Ibru who all went through the injustice of having to refund a small part of their jibiti to the Nigerian state. You think your head is different from theirs? When did monkeys start boasting of a better destiny than gorillas?"

"Baba...."

"Don't Baba me at all Bode. Did Balogun, Igbinedion, and Ibru offend God? No. But they were asked to refund various sums of money. Who do you think worked the miracle that allowed you to keep all of your own tibi and return to it and all the interest accumulated after thirty months in Prison?"

"Baba..."

"I am still talking, Bode. Who do you think worked that miracle for you? Enoch Adeboye? David Oyedepo? Chris Oyakhilome? Samson Ayorinde? No, my friend. Some of us pulled a lot of strings during trial. The judge didn't wake up and allowed you to keep eighty billion naira just like that."

"But Baba...."

"No need to argue any further, Bode. Here is what you will do. You will do omoluabi (good boy) to me with five billion naira, you will do omoluabi to the Jonathan/Sambo campaign with five billion naira, and you will earmark another five billion naira for omoluabi to other deserving stakeholders, elder statesmen, and chieftains of the PDP. That still leaves you sixty billion naira and interest accrued. Go and sin no more with that one."

"Haba, Baba, you won't even let me rest before..."

"Bode, Bode, Bode, how many times have I called you? Farida Waziri has been a very good girl since Ribadu was booted out of the EFCC. She has been a very useful girl. If you now need outsiders to explain omoluabi to you, I can get Jonathan to activate Waziri."

"Baba, all I am trying to say is that the money is...."

"O-r-d-e-r-l-y!!!!!!!!"

"Sirrrr!!!"

"Tell the driver to get the car ready. We are leaving for Otta right away!"

Bible vs Science - The Mystery Of The Last Supper

2011-04-19T02:36:00.000-07:00

BiblChristians have long celebrated Jesus Christ's Last Supper on Maundy Thursday but new research released Monday claims to show it took place on the Wednesday before the crucifixion.

Professor Colin Humphreys, a scientist at the University of Cambridge, believes it is all due to a calendar mix-up -- and asserts his findings strengthen the case for finally introducing a fixed date for Easter.

Humphreys uses a combination of biblical, historical and astronomical research to try to pinpoint the precise nature and timing of Jesus's final meal with his disciples before his death. Researchers have long been puzzled by an apparent inconsistency in the Bible.

While Matthew, Mark and Luke all say the Last Supper coincided with the start of the Jewish festival of Passover, John claims it took place before Passover. Humphreys has concluded in a new book, "The Mystery Of The Last Supper", that Jesus -- along with Matthew, Mark and Luke -- may have been using a different calendar to John.

"Whatever you think about the Bible, the fact is that Jewish people would never mistake the Passover meal for another meal, so for the Gospels to contradict themselves in this regard is really hard to understand," Humphreys said.

"Many biblical scholars say that, for this reason, you can't trust the Gospels at all (Blasphemy). But if we use science and the Gospels hand in hand, we can actually prove that there was no contradiction."

In Humphreys' theory, Jesus went by an old-fashioned Jewish calendar rather than the official lunar calendar which was in widespread use at the time of his death and is still in use today.

This would put the Passover meal -- and the Last Supper -- on the Wednesday, explaining how such a large number of events took place between the meal and the crucifixion. It would follow that Jesus' arrest, interrogation and separate trials did not all take place in the space of one night but in fact occurred over a longer period. Humphreys believes a date could therefore be ascribed to Easter in our modern solar calendar, and working on the basis that the crucifixion took place on April 3, Easter Day would be on April 5.

But in my own opinion, it doesn't matter one day early or late. It is the atonement that matters not the date. However, Apostle Paul tells us not to get hung up on days, seasons and festivals, new moons and genealogies. Its Christ crucified and that's it. Paul came not only with word but with power of Holy Ghost. Easter every year varies from one date to another so the date is never important. It's the solemnity of the Passion of Jesus Christ that's important.

And I agree, it's glad to see God made the news today. :)

Leave a comment below to air your own views and opinion.

IRS Hit Rapper Lil Wayne With $5.6 Million Tax Lien

2011-04-05T02:52:00.000-07:00

It looks like Lil Wayne is in trouble with the government yet again.

Though the Young Money boss recently paid off a $1.13 million tax lien in Dade County, Fla., in November 2010, he has reportedly been hit with another IRS bill, this time for a whopping $5,610,034.00.

The IRS has been hounding Wayne for unpaid income taxes for years, filing a lien against the rapper back in 2008, going after his One Family Foundation charity in June 2010, for the years 2004, 2005 and 2007. Now the government is seeking over $5.6 million for income earned during the years 2008 and 2009.

According to the new lien, Wayne owes $3,335,077.95 for revenue earned in the year 2008, and $2,258,956.04 for 2009. The address listed on the lien, which can be viewed here, is Weezy's $12.9 million, 15,101 square foot mansion, on a private Miami island, which is apparently for sale.

Wayne is currently listed as a self-employed small business owner. His long awaited new album, 'Tha Carter IV' hits stores on May 16.

Download Let's Make A Video (Blackberry) ft Muno by Jahborne

2010-11-21T06:42:00.000-08:00

Ladies and Gents..its new and official your boy Jahborne PiQanto is dropping something new for the young and sexy...This is a new single from his forth coming Monkey Bizness album set to drop in real time soon. Lets Make A Video (Blackberry) ft. Muno. I called this a step-up a notch from the Maga exponent.

The song caught my ear the very first day I heard it, good lyrics, good vocal delivery, good production and well mastered. The ladies are already going killer cut on this one. Jahborne has been in the music industry in Nigeria for a while and already has two albums to his credit.

Click here to download Let's Make A Video (BlackBerry) ft Muno

Please leave a comment let us know what you think about this one.

For booking and enquiry:

Rubies Ink

Tel: 08068653263

E-mail: info@rubiesink.com

More download links

1. Let's Make A Video (Blackberry) ft Muno,

2. Na So?

3. Fire ft. Zara

4. Maga

5. Fi'Le Be (ft. Cashino NDT, Suzpekt ze Krook, Mischief, Tmoney, iLL Will and Zara)

6. Monkey ft. Chessy

Follow Jahborne on Twitter: @9jahborne

Fan page on Facebook: Jahborne

DOWNLOAD LET'S MAKE A VIDEO (BlackBerry)

==========================================================

LET'S MAKE A VIDEO Lyrics

(INTRO)

(Chorus 2x) MUNO

Lets make a video

On my BlackBerry baby

You and I we can go BlackBerry crazy

Video on my Blackberry baby ..........uhn uhn han

(VERSE 1 - JAHBORBE)

Lets make a video

Lets make a blackberry video

Not a DJ Tee, Ak One kinda video

Not a wudi Awa, Clarence Peters kinda video

Light, Camera, Action we dont need a studio

(lets make a video)

Lets play Kim and Ray J

I got mad skillz gurl I'm better than Jay Jay

My BB cam aint got high definition

But With you girl my video is high resolution guaranteed

If you be my blackberry girl

we can both live in a Blackberry world

We can go on Facebook, we can go on Twitter

Ping me I ping you,..aint nothing better

(Chorus 2x) MUNO

Lets make a video

On my BlackBerry baby

You and I we can go BlackBerry crazy

Video on my Blackberry baby ..........uhn uhn han

(VERSE 2 - JAHBORNE)

Lets make a video on a Blackberry baby

My superfly lady you drive a hommie crazy

You're tha best thing gwan down town lately

A hottest chic around girl i need to see you daily

your dress code looks good for our movie

I love your Louis Vuitton, I love your Gucci

You got nice curves and you gotta be Bold

Let me flip you like a Pearl

Like a storm you roar

You're gorgeous, tha hottest gurl i have seen

fine girl no pimples fresh and clean

for you i got a bag of love full to the brim

The girl of my dreams you are my sweet 16

(Chorus 2x) MUNO

Lets make a video

On my BlackBerry baby

You and I we can go BlackBerry crazy

Video on my Blackberry baby ..........uhn uhn han

(MUNO)

You can be my Bonnie I can be your Clyde

You can be that dot that's dirty in my eyes

My guys, you never seen a girl so fly

Come see my Blackberry girl

You can be my username I can be your password

Girl na you dey make me feel so fly (yeah)

Baby please close the door

Let's make our own blackberry world

REPEAT CHORUS + ADLIBS

Download Jahborne – Filebe (Let It Go) ft. Cashino, Suzpekt Ze Krook, Mischief, Tmoney, Ill will, Zara

2010-11-06T15:47:00.000-07:00

Here is a new track from an artiste that we are all quite familiar with, Jahborne aka Piqanto off his upcoming album, Monkey Business which is due out in December of 2010. The original version of Filebe will be on his album, but here is the international version and remix featuring a host of artistes who live(d) in different countries outside Nigeria.

They all brought heat and delivered proper, but Mischief really caught my ear more so for her delivery. Nice and engaging tune.

DOWNLOAD SONG

The World Most Powerful People

2010-11-05T01:04:00.000-07:00

There are 6.8 billion people on the planet. These are the top 10 of 68 who matter.

"We are fascinated by power. We stand in awe of those who apply it adroitly — and in fear of those who abuse it. We lust for power. Everyone would rather be a hammer than a nail."

The people on this list were chosen because, in various ways, they bend the world to their will. They are heads of state, major religious figures, entrepreneurs and outlaws. Comparing the relative power of such a diverse group is slippery business. To do it, we defined power in four dimensions. First, we asked if a person has influence over a lot of people. For heads-of-state we looked at population, for religious figures we measured the size of their flocks, for CEOs we counted their employees and for media figures we considered the size of their audience.

Second, we checked to see if they have significant financial resources relative to their peers. This meant comparing GDP for political leaders, net worth for billionaires and their ranking on the Forbes Global 2000 for CEOs. The Global 2000 lists the largest companies in the world based on a composite of market capitalization, assets, sales and profits.

Then we determined if they were powerful in multiple spheres, awarding bonus points for those who can project their power many ways. Silvio Berlusconi (No. 14), for instance, got a big boost for not only being the prime minister of Italy, but because he is also a billionaire media mogul who owns soccer team, AC Milan.

Finally we insisted that they actively wield their power. This eliminated some the richest people in the world, including Ingvar Kamprad, the billionaire founder of Ikea and the descendants of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton.

We culled an initial suspect list of over 100 names to 75 and then asked seven Forbes editors to rank them in all four categories. Those ranks were averaged to produce the final list. Obviously our rankings are not intended to be definitive; they are meant to spark a conversation, even an argument or two.

They certainly produced some surprises. The editors picked Hu Jintao, the president of the People's Republic of China as the world's most powerful man, ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama (No. 2). Julian Assange (No. 68), the editor-in-chief of WikiLeaks, snuck onto the list in last place, while many traditional media types, including Mark Thompson, the Director-General of the BBC, fell off altogether. In a clear sign of the times, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (No. 40) ranked a full ten spots higher than Bill Keller (No. 50, the Executive Editor of the New York Times.

Power can be used for good or ill and three criminals made the list this year: al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden (No. 57), Joaquin Guzman (No. 60), the billionaire drug trafficker who heads Mexico's Sinaloa Cartel and Dawood Ibrahim Kaskar (No. 63), who runs a vast criminal enterprise in India and who is thought to have a hand in the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai which killed 174. These rankings are not meant to justify or glorify these odious men. They simply reflect reality.

#1 Hu Jintao

Age: 67
Title: President
Residence: Beijing
Country of citizenship: China

Paramount political leader of more people than anyone else on the planet; exercises near dictatorial control over 1.3 billion people, one-fifth of world's population. Unlike Western counterparts, Hu can divert rivers, build cities, jail dissidents and censor Internet without meddling from pesky bureaucrats, courts. Recently surpassed Japan to become the world's second-largest economy both in absolute and purchasing power terms. Credible estimates have China poised to overtake U.S. as world's largest economy in 25 years — although, crucially, not on a per-capita basis. Creditor nation oversees world's largest reserves at $2.65 trillion — $1.5 trillion of which is in U.S. dollar holdings. Refuses to kowtow to U.S. pressure to change its exchange-rate regime. Heads world's largest army (in size). His handpicked successor, Xi Jinping, set to assume the presidency in 2012.

#2 Barack Obama

Age: 49
Title: President
Residence: Washington, DC
Country of citizenship: United States

Obama's Democrats suffered a mighty blow in U.S. midterm elections, with the president decisively losing support of the House of Representatives, and barely holding onto the Senate. It's quite a come-down for last year's most powerful person, who after enacting widespread reforms in his first two years in office will be hard-pressed to implement his agenda in the next two. He can take comfort in the fact that he remains commander-in-chief of world's largest, deadliest military, leader of world's largest (in spending) and most dynamic economy and holds the unofficial title of "Leader of the Free World."

#3 Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al Saud

Age: 86
Title: King
Residence: Riyadh
Country of citizenship: Saudi Arabia

Absolute ruler of desert kingdom that contains the world's largest crude oil reserves, two holiest sites in Islam. State-owned oil producer Saudi Aramco has reserves of 266 billion barrels, or one-fifth of planet's known supply (worth $22 trillion at today's oil prices). Pushing for gradual social and legal reforms, while maintaining good relations with deeply conservative religious establishment. Ultimate succession unclear: 86-year-old king's official heir is 82-year-old Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. Established committee of senior princes to ensure smooth transition in the event both become incapacitated.

#4 Vladimir Putin

Age: 57
Title: Prime Minister
Residence: Moscow
Country of citizenship: Russia

Prime Minister still more powerful than his handpicked head-of-state, President Dmitry Medvedev. Former KGB officer will likely replace protÃ©gÃ© in 2012. In the meantime, has final say over one-ninth of Earth's land area, vast energy and mineral resources. Declared nuclear power has veto on U.N.'s Security Council. Russian government agency reported to have already registered web address Putin-2012.rf. On running again: "The president of the United States, Roosevelt, was elected four times in a row because it did not contradict the American Constitution" (September 2010).

#5 Pope Benedict XVI

Age: 83
Title: Pope
Residence: Vatican City
Country of citizenship: Germany

Highest earthly authority for 1.1 billion souls, or one-sixth of world's population. Staunch traditionalist deplores secularism, consumerism and moral relativism, unbending on birth control, gay marriage and ordination of female priests. Despite major gaffes (including lifting the excommunication of a Holocaust-denying Bishop and quoting a 14th-century source that declared the only new things the prophet Mohammed brought were "evil and inhuman"), appears genuinely interested in healing old wounds. In September, not only became the first Pope to visit Westminster Abbey since the Protestant Reformation, but also shook hands with a clergywoman (another first). Widening sexual abuse scandal could undermine moral authority, but increasingly willing to tackle issue head on: "Forgiveness does not substitute for justice." Stylish: Has brought back traditional red, custom-made "pope shoes" and old-school Ecclesiastical headgear.

#6 Angela Merkel

Age: 56
Title: Chancellor
Residence: Berlin
Country of citizenship: Germany
Marital Status: Married

Most powerful woman on the planet. Chancellor of Germany oversees Europe's largest economy. Renowned free-market champion and favorite of big business, boasts nine public companies with annual sales in excess of $70 billion. In all, there are 57 German companies on the Forbes Global 2000 ranking of the world's largest public companies, with aggregate sales of $1.7 trillion.

#7 David Cameron

Age: 43
Title: Prime Minister
Residence: London

Youngest British prime minister in 198 years is product of privilege: Eton, Brasenose College, Oxford; is descended (illegitimately) from King William IV. Hailed by some as the second coming of Margaret Thatcher, Cameron shares the Iron Lady's determination to slash government expenditures (defense, higher education), but as the leader of a coalition government he can ill-afford to repeat her brash divisiveness.

#8 Ben Bernanke

Age: 56
Title: Chairman
Residence: Washington, DC
Country of citizenship: United States

Some argue Fed's influence is at all-time high, given size of its burgeoning balance sheet ($2.3 trillion) relative to the underlying economy ($14.3 trillion). But Bernanke's options have waned since peak of the financial crisis. He now has essentially only one arrow left in his financial quiver: quantitative easing — in layman's terms, "printing money." He last employed the technique in 2008 and is widely expected to repeat the move this month. At least he's honest: "The U.S. government has a technology, called a printing press, that allows it to produce as many U.S. dollars as it wishes at essentially no cost."

#9 Sonia Gandhi

Age: 63
Title: President
Residence: New Delhi
Country of citizenship: India

Despite Italian birth, foreign religion (Roman Catholic) and political reluctance, Gandhi wields unequaled influence over 1.2 billion Indians. Recently elected to record fourth term as head of India's ruling Congress Party, cementing status as true heiress to the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty. Handpicked brainy Sikh economist Manmohan Singh (also a listee) as prime minister. Inspired choice: Singh universally praised as India's best prime minister since Nehru, ideally trained to lead the world's fourth-largest economy in terms of purchasing power into next decade. But Gandhi remains the real power behind the nuclear-tipped throne. Grooming 40-year-old son Rahul for prime minister role.

#10 Bill Gates

Age: 54
Title: Co-Chair
Source: Microsoft, self-made
Residence: Medina, WA
Country of citizenship: United States
Education: Dropout , Harvard University
Marital Status: Married
Children: 3

Selling charity raffle tickets is hard; coaxing tycoons to pledge half their fortunes to philanthropy is near impossible. Apparently no one told Gates. This year the Microsoft mogul, futurist and America's richest person strong-armed (with help from henchman Warren Buffett) 40 of the world's wealthiest to sign his "Giving Pledge," promising to donate the majority of their wealth to charity during their lifetimes. No longer the planet's richest person, but that's because he's given nearly $30 billion philanthropically. World's most influential charity tackles AIDS, tuberculosis, polio and funds famine-resistant crops to fight hunger. Worth $54 billion, Gates holds 70% of his wealth in investment fund Cascade, dabbling in everything from autos to hedge funds to trash collecting.

More list on Forbes.com

Explosions rock Govt House Asaba on Tuesday.

2010-11-04T06:56:00.000-07:00

Explosions rock Govt House Asaba on Tuesday, November 2, 2010

THERE was panic at Government House Asaba on Tuesday afternoon about 3 pm following explosions suspected to be bombs.

The two explosions went off at about 3pm causing partial damage to few buildings located at the VIP Guest House within the Government House complex. No life was however lost.

Although it was not immediately ascertained whether the explosions were bombs, security has been beefed up and the affected area cordoned off.

The blasts which went off with the interval of eight minutes caused panic as security men positioned at the main gate of the Government House ran to the scene.

State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Charles Muka who also visited the scene told reporters that “two explosions actually occurred. We have cordoned off the place as you can see and bomb disposal unit are looking at it. Only two buildings were affected so investigation is on”

Also soldiers have been deployed around Patani-Kaiama bridges over allege plot to blow up structures.

Lil Wayne Released From Rikers Jail

2010-11-04T06:10:00.000-07:00

Lil Wayne Released From Rikers Jail - NYC

NEW YORK (AP) – Lil Wayne has been freed from jail after serving eight months in a gun case, emerging with a hot new album, well-wishes from a former president and a deepened appreciation for his fans.

The city’s Department of Correction website said Thursday the Grammy Award-winning rap star had been released from the Rikers Island jail complex.

His managers have said he planned to head for his home in Miami, where they’re planning a welcome-home party Sunday.

“I was never scared, worried nor bothered by the situation” behind bars, Lil Wayne said Tuesday through Weezythanxyou.com, a website he set up to give fans a glimpse of his life in jail.

Lil Wayne, who had the best-selling album of 2008 and won a best rap album Grammy with “Tha Carter III,” kept his career in high gear while locked up for having a loaded gun on his tour bus in 2007.

His latest album, “I Am Not a Human Being” – released while he was in solitary confinement in September – hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart last month. He also was featured on a string of hits by other artists, including Drake and Eminem, that came out while he was incarcerated – and he recorded a verse for the Drake/Jay-Z collaboration “Light Up” over on the phone for a “Rikers Remix” that made the rounds online.

President Barack Obama recently told Rolling Stone he has some Lil Wayne music on his iPod. And former President Bill Clinton praised the rapper’s abilities during a phone interview with a Pittsburgh radio station Tuesday, adding that “what I hope will happen is that he has a good life now.”

Lil Wayne, born Dwayne Carter Jr., pleaded guilty in October 2009 to attempted weapon possession, admitting he’d had a loaded, semiautomatic .40-caliber gun on his bus after a Manhattan concert.

He started a yearlong sentence in March but got time off for good behavior, despite a disciplinary knock that sent him to solitary for the last month of his term. A charger and headphones for a digital music player were found in his cell in May, jail officials said. The items are considered contraband.

The rapper later acknowledged the misstep on his Weezythanxyou site, where his associates typed up and posted periodic letters he wrote on topics ranging from his daily Rikers routine to new songs he’d heard and liked on the radio.

He also provided specific, individual responses to some of the fan mail that flooded his cell and became, he said, a source of cheer behind bars.

“I laughed with some of you, reasoned with some of you, and even cried with some of you,” he wrote in a letter posted Tuesday. “I never imagined how much impact my words and life can have.”

But he assured fans the impact hasn’t completely changed an artist known for ingenious work that sometimes borders on weird: “I will be the same Martian I was when I left, just better.”

Lil Wayne envisions recording new music and releasing a long-rumored “Tha Carter IV” next year, and he may also make a book out of a journal he kept in jail, according to his managers and associates.

But his priorities at the moment are reconnecting with his family – he has four children – and the Cash Money Records labelmates to whom he often refers as family, too.

“Family first … then back to business,” Cash Money co-founder Bryan “Birdman” Williams said in an interview last week.

Facebook Phenomenon Hits - Forbes New Youngest Billionaires

2010-10-11T02:35:00.000-07:00

Facebook catapults three 20-somethings onto the list, but the youngest isn't who you think it is.

The Facebook phenomenon strikes again, this time helping catapult two new 20-somethings into the ranks of America's richest for the first time and bringing down the average age of America's richest ever so slightly to 65.7. Only eight American billionaires are under the age of 40, and three of them co-founded Facebook.

The youngest? It isn't who you think it is. The world's youngest billionaire is now 26-year-old Dustin Moskovitz, who is eight days younger than his former Harvard roommate and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. The social-networking site's first chief technology officer, Moskovitz left in 2008 and started Asana, a software company that allows individuals and small companies to better collaborate. The company has attracted several of the same early backers as Facebook and may one day be worth something. For now, though, Forbes estimates Moskovitz's entire $1.4 billion fortune comes from his 6 percent stake in Facebook.

Zuckerberg may no longer reign as the youngest member of the Forbes 400, but he has bragging rights as the year's biggest percentage gainer -- his net worth jumped to $6.9 billion, up from $2 billion, making him worth nearly five times as much as Moskovitz and more than even Apple's (Nasdaq: AAPL - News) Steve Jobs.

The third Facebook co-founder among the ranks is 28-year-old Eduardo Saverin, who once owned a one-third stake in Facebook. When Zuckerberg and Moskovitz quit school to relocate to California, Saverin stayed behind to graduate. A year later Facebook sued him; he countersued. The parties settled with Saverin apparently getting a 5 percent stake and a co-founder bio on Facebook's site. Don't feel bad. We estimate that share makes him worth $1.15 billion.

Technology, and in particular the Internet, has long been the best bet for getting rich at a young age. Bill Gates made his debut on the list in 1986 at age 30 with a net worth of $315 million. Michael Dell debuted at age 26; 19 years later, he is still among the list's 20 youngest. So too for Yahoo's (Nasdaq: YHOO - News) David Filo and Jerry Yang, who first made the ranks a dozen years ago. Indeed half of the 20 youngest America billionaires have made their fortunes in the tech industry, most via the Internet.

Outside the world of the Internet, young rich-list members have been able to cash in from a few other industries such as finance and sports. Hedge fund manager John Arnold, 36, got his start as an oil trader for Enron in 1995. He is said to have earned $750 million for the company in 2001. When Enron collapsed a year later, he went into business for himself, founding Centaurus, a hedge fund focusing mostly on natural gas, energy trading.

Five of the 20 youngest inherited their fortunes, including Scott Duncan, the only billionaire in his 20s who didn't strike it rich with Facebook. He and his siblings assumed control of the family's $12.4 billion pipeline empire after their father Dan Duncan's death last March.

Jerry Yang

Net Worth: $1.15 billion
Source: Yahoo!
Age: 41

Born in Taiwan, Yang moved to the U.S. at age 10. He created his Web directory in 1994 with partner David Filo when both were Stanford grad students. Yahoo! co-founder made his debut among America's 400 richest at age 29. Still with Yahoo!, but no longer its head honcho. He sits on other boards and makes a number of charitable donations.

Larry Page

Net Worth: $15 billion
Source: Google
Age: 37

The Google co-founder dropped out of his Stanford Ph.D. program in 1998 to start the search engine. Nowadays his personal passions include buying up chunks of residential Palo Alto for a network of houses that use new types of fuel cells, geothermal energy and rainwater capture. He also rides a Zero X electric dirt bike and an electric sports car from Tesla Motors, in which he and Sergey Brin are investors. Page is a board member of the X Prize Foundation, a nonprofit looking for breakthroughs in genomics, energy and space exploration.