BOMB BLAST AT THIS DAY OFFICE JABI ABUJA

Its crazy one minute every thing seems fine and the next its a bomblast ruining lives.

This Day office at Jabi

One life has been lost already and several casualties in this bomb blast that just rocked the This Day office at abuja.


The attack happened in Jabi/Utako area directly opposite the Jabi Motor park. Eyewitnesses said a huge explosion shook neighboring building.Let us hope no more lives are lost.

the bombed building.

BEYONCE NAMED THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD FOR 2012

In my words she is really a beauty to behold.I wish i could be this pretty.I'm sure i would've gained alot of popularity for being a fine geh.Plus all the guys would be at my beck and call too (wishingful thinking).To think she just gave birth to her child baby Ivy and is still drop dead gorgeous.
Abeg dem dey judge with african women at all(kidding).

Beyonce Knowles has been named by People's Magazine the World's Most Beautiful Woman 2012 and graces the cover of the mag's new special double issue.

This is the ninth time Beyonce has made the magazine's Most Beautiful People list, but her first time on the cover of the special issue. Other stars appearing in the issue this time around include veterans Julia Roberts and Nicole Kidman (who have made the list 13 times and 10 times, respectively) as well as "Mad Men" breakout star Jessica Pare. Some of the fellas featured are David Beckham, Blake Shelton and Ashton Kutcher.

Bey on the cover of people's magazine



Congrats Bey you inspire me.

AMAA AWARDS 2012 VIDEO COVERAGE BY IROKO TV

I was bothered when i didnit watch the AMMA awards but iroko tv surprised me and i watched and i was entertained so i decided i could share with you too so you would be entertained.

AFRICAN MOVIE ACADEMY AWARDS (AMAA) 2012

The AMAA 2012 was held for the first time in Lagos at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island. A lot of us might not have had the opportunity to attend this memorable occasion which saw all the movie stars across Africa in attendance. The iROKtv team as always was there to cover the event, from the red carpet event till the very end.

If you missed the AMAA, cry no more cos iROKtv is here to fill you in on all the activities that happened.

Grab a bowl of popcorn and celebrate with our African Stars.

Rok rok on y’all…………………….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzFVqZJdWYU

 

 

 Enjoy it people.

RANDOM THOUGHTS FROM NYSC CAMP DAY 1

Hey readers today I’m going to be writing on the memoirs i kept from nysc camp about a year ago. This memoir would be written in bits trust you are going to love reading it. This is my story.

Like every other person in Nigeria i had tried to do something about my NYSC posting so i was a little hopeful i was going to get posted to the town of my choice. But that's not what happened. When i got my call up letter i was disappointed like anyone would be. Was damn pissed and frustrated i couldn't pronounce the name of the town i was headed to. I decided i was going to whatever it took to redeploy from there already. So i set out to a town in Akwa Ibom State called Nsit Atai (I’m sure most of you wouldn't be able to pronounce that word).

I got to ABC park at Awka that dreadful morning and had to wait hours for the bus to get there .I had asked the manager at the company to book a sit for the Akwa Ibom bus leaving from owerri. Anyways when i got to owerri i found out the manager at awka hadn't made the reservations so i was stuck. That was when i really started loathing the whole Akwa Ibom experience. Well i finally got a bus that i didn't like it was smoking badly and as far as i'm concerned it was moving at almost a snail speed. Well we kept going until the driver of the bus i was in disrespected a military officer and he was asked to get out of the vehicle and roll in the gutter nearby. ohhhh and did i forget to mention it was raining badly. Then we waited for him to clean up and continued the journey.

Finally we got to the Akwa Ibom park and there were a lot of corpers hovering around looking for who to devour if you ask me (cos that's my opinion).Of course you had to agree to be a member of their church to get a read to the camp. So i looked around and when i didn't find an option i found a taxi to take me to the camp. It was expensive and getting to the camp seemed like i was heading to the end of the world and the damn rains weren't making things easy at all. Finally i saw a signpost that read NYSC ORIENTATION CAMP then i said to myself finally i'm here or so i thought. Well drove for about another 10mins before i could see any humans or houses so it occurred to me that i was really going to hell (that's what i call it).

When the taxi finally got to the gate i felt really sick in my stomach,  but then i had to put up a brave face and decided i could manage for 19 days (those happen to be the longest 19days of my life).Well i was entering a place where i didn't know anyone and somehow i had to become friendly with anyone i met. It felt like my first day at boarding school all over again only that in this case you could get drunk, wasted, stoned or do whatever you liked to do to get high and try to forget about what each would bing for you.

I moved towards the gates and i was asked to open my box and they started searching (i had no idea if they thought i had a gun to search me like i was a thief).When they were done there i had to somewhere else to get searched again but then that was when a caught a full glimpse of what was going to be my home for the next few weeks. Was searched again and asked for my call up letter and i got a number and i was asked to go buy a file and a tag.

Then this guy sees me and says put your name and phone number on that piece of paper in front of you. I’m wondering if I had done something wrong already, when you are done writing he says well you can go and verify your posting from there and points to a large crowd of people gather and I’m like ok sir.

Done with the entry clearance and i start to move into the quadrangle then i'm shocked at how muddy the place is and at this point trust that i'm already freaking out.Then still taking in my surrounding i see happy millipedes crawling past me and i'm like what the fuck (damn i can't remember the last time i saw those).I get talking with some women i met at the gate (girls i mean ,only they seemed so damn old to be in camp, well that's Nigeria for you sha) and i'm asking them what we are going to do with our bags and join the crowd ,then i over hear some people say hmmmmm this ones  just dey come dem never see anything yet we wen dey here since morning never verify yet dem dey hear dey speak English. At this point I was already pissed  by my surrounding

Well i finally drop my bags somewhere in the mud and move into the crowd to find out what the matter is. Then i get there to discover it may have been a curse for me to have gone to school in the south east region of Nigeria. Because as it is they are the ones behaving like barbarians, somehow we get to place things in order a little bit .Did i mention that this is the first stage of the clearance. Ohhhh yes it's just the 1st stage. Somehow i manage to get a copy of my posting amidst all the drama. And yes NYSC officials are very dramatic individuals seeking to be important at any little chance they've got. They enjoy making corpers miserable. Yep i said that without blinking my eyes.

Nightfall has come so quickly already and i have no place to lay my head or even a mattress to lay my body on. So i meet this guy he says he has 2 mattresses somewhere and he can't come in cos it's predominately occupied by females. Well we strike a deal which will be me helping to watch the mattresses and bags. So that's how i get a place to retire for the night. Well what that done i try to find food to eat.

With all this I’ve had a really long day and all i pray for is to at least have some rest and get ready for the next day.

I'm going to write a memoir about my second day. You’ll help me decide if NYSC is really worth all this unusual suffering.

D'BANJ'S SIDE OF THE STORY IN THE WHOLE OF THE BREAK UP SAGA.

Goodmorning Readers,with the story i'm confused as to who is really telling the truth in this Don Jazzy and D'banj Divorce. This bit of information was culled from Nigerian Entertainment Today.
So i'm going to let you all lay the blame on whoever it is now we have a two sided story.So readers now can actually be better judges to the matter.Have a lovely day people.

D'BANJ

There’s an important person in that building, right?’ the cab driver asked. ‘Important musician?’

I nodded, too tired to let any curious driver drag me into a conversation.

He got the message and left me alone the entire drive from Canary Wharf to the London Marriot Hotel, in Grosvenor Square.

Then, as I got down to get my suitcase from the trunk, he gave me a knowing look, smiled, and said ‘are you the musician?’

‘Of course not’, I said to him, smiling this time. ‘The musician is in Canary Wharf, his name is D’banj’.

Silence. Confused look.

‘D’banj?’

Yes, D’banj. He’s big in Africa. You know ‘Oliver Twist?’

Silence again, then as his final ‘no’ came, I said ‘Google him.’

It was 4am on Saturday, April 21. I arrived in London eight hours earlier, and had spent almost all of that time chatting with D’banj, in his first interview with a Nigerian newspaper in a long time, and his first interview on the Mo’Hits brouhaha.

London is D’banj’s town. He’s performed there over and over, his single ‘Oliver Twist’ is on the A-list at Choice FM, and enjoys heavy rotation on other stations. A day before I came, he spent hours doing interviews at the Universal offices in Kensington. Some might hail D’banj as the man championing the gospel of ‘Afrobeats’ across the world. But, just like the cab driver, London does not yet know D’banj.

As we walk into the Choice FM building in the afternoon on Saturday, there are no heads turning or fans gazing. In fact, his lawyer, Elias, who wore a pair of loud snakeskin boots, attracted more attention than D’banj.

Who leaves a zone where they’re comfortable and celebrated; where they’re established and successful, for a place where no one seems to give the slightest care?

D’banj, that’s who.

The 31 year-old entertainer has spent nearly two years building structures he hopes will help take his music to new markets in Europe, and especially America. This move, he believes, cost him his friendship and business relationship with his long time partner Don Jazzy.

‘I’m a risk taker’, he says. ‘Life is all about risks. But you must never endanger yourself. I don’t endanger myself, which is why, even though I’m here, I’m still in Nigeria all the time, performing’.

With incredible energy, and the kind of passion that endeared everyone to him when he first moved back to Nigeria in 2005, D’banj says his deal with Kanye West is a case of ‘preparation meets opportunity’.

‘I pulled up with my entourage at the Emirates first class lounge in Dubai. We were returning from Scott Tommey’s birthday. I came down with Bankuli, my P.A. Chuchu, and my business manager Chidi. My entourage was large and I was looking fly. One of the hostesses ran to me with a Kanye West placard. I said I’m not Kanye o – then I told my guys ‘Kanye is around so no dulling.’ Chuchu and Bankuli spotted Kanye walking in to check in. They went to him and he said we could come over’.

‘As they came, I had my iPad with me, and my headphones. First thing Kanye said was ‘I like your T-shirt’. I wore a Zara T-shirt and a D&G ring. He liked my appearance and said he’d give me 5 minutes. I told him ‘I played with you in Nigeria during NB PLC Star Megajam. I’ve done a song with Snoop and we’re going to shoot the video now. I’d like to play you my songs.’ I played Oliver, Scapegoat, and Fall in love. He was dancing. He removed the headphones and said ‘I don’t mean to sound rude, but if anyone has to bring you out in the states, it has to be me, not Snoop. He asked when I was going to be in the US, and I told him I was going there that day. Then he asked who my producer was, and I said Don Jazzy. He said ‘come with him.’

Three months later, D’banj, Don Jazzy and their crew were in New York, where, according to D’banj, it took almost forever before they could establish contact with Kanye. ‘It was only an email address he gave us at the airport. So when we got to NY, we sent several emails but got no response. Not a single one.’

‘Then we met someone that knew someone that knew another someone and we got another email address. We sent several messages again, no response. Then Bankuli sent a final one saying, ‘we have been in New York for some time and sent several emails. We have waited long enough and are now on our way to do the Snoop Dogg video’

And then the reply came. ‘Sorry to have overlooked your earlier emails. Mr. Kanye would like to meet with you tomorrow.’

‘We didn’t believe it. Don Jazzy, who had been reluctant all along, still did not believe it. Even when we got there (Wyclef’s studio) the next day, he stood outside. When Kanye came I went to call him ‘Oya come now, come play am the music now’. It was difficult to believe it was real and it was happening. Then when Kanye came in, with the GOOD music acts, I was like, ‘wow’.

From there everything happened fast. Next they were meeting Jay Z, making a presentation to LA Reid (At Electric studios), and discussing contracts. But while the label offered him a traditional recording contract, D’banj opted for a joint venture agreement structured to guarantee three things: retaining full control of his materials in Africa, signing Don Jazzy on board (on behalf on Mohits USA), and, he says, bringing the Universal/Def Jam imprint to Africa.

‘I’ve always thought of how I can be a useful vessel to the industry. A friend and colleague always says to me: ‘D’banj, you’re the Jesus Christ of the industry.’ So having ran Mohits for nine years, I already had plans of how we could blow Mohits up. I had plans of expanding, and most especially, bringing hope to that 11 year-old kid somewhere in Africa who may never have had the opportunity to get signed to major labels’.

‘So it was not really just about me. There’s a big market in Africa. I said to them, ‘I’ve sold millions of records in Africa, we’ve done millions of hits with CRBT, and I’ve run the most successful label on the continent. You take care of the US, but let me take you to Africa.‘ And I’m happy to tell you that we’re doing that. D’banj’s album will be the first under Universal/Def Jam Africa, and we’re already putting all the structures in place’.

‘I’m a businessman.’ I learnt from my mom, who’s a very successful businesswoman. So having run and funded Mohits for nine years, I knew we had to move to the next level. And everything we wanted was happening. Finally we could take African music to the world.’

Just like the lyrics of the song, D’banj was an Oliver Twist. Here’s a guy who had conquered a continent; was sitting on the top three list, and making more money than anyone else in his category. D’banj was a big player in Nigeria, where there are over 150 million people; a big player in Africa, with over 850 million people. But he wanted to play big globally, with 7 billion people to grab from.

And that’s where the problem started. ‘Don Jazzy was no longer comfortable. You know, we were like fishes out of water, in this new system, starting all over again, like when we returned home in 2004. I got him a place in the US, set up a studio there, just so he’d be comfortable and be able to work without going to hang around the studios. In one year Jazzy did not make a song. I said, maybe you want to go back to Lagos, you’ll get inspiration there?’ I was all about the work, I wanted us to make this happen, so we can bridge that gap and create a path for Africa. But Jazzy wanted us to go back home. And I understand. He’s my friend, my brother’.

‘But I never expected him to do what he did.’ He said to me in July last year ‘Let’s scatter Mohits. He told me there are two captains – two captains cannot be in a ship. I was like ‘that’s not possible, this is a marriage’. He said ‘then this marriage is no longer working’. I said then let’s go for counseling; I asked, so what happens to our children?’

Don Jazzy wanted Mohits, D’banj says. And that happened on April 16, 2012 – after months of a bitter feud, characterized by accusations and counter accusations, widespread speculation, leaked emails and failed reconciliation attempts.

‘You can see he has signed already’, he said, showing the agreement with Don Jazzy’s signature. ‘I have full rights to my catalogue and full ownership of my Koko Holdings, while he has full ownership of Mo’Hits, including the artistes and liabilities.’

Already judged guilty in the court of public opinion, and publicly disowned by his own boys Wande Coal and Dr SID, D’banj says he’s sad, but not bitter. Does he feel kind of lonely, alone in the cold? ‘Asking me if I’m lonely because Wande or Jazzy has left me is like asking my first sister if she’s lonely now – she has two kids now, lives in Canada. Don Jazzy is still my brother – we just had to move on. We’ll still work together in future, same with my boys. In fact, just this week, he sent me the remix to Oliver Twist that we’re releasing in the UK on May 14. All the interviews I’ve had here, I kept hyping him. It’s already in my system – you know me, I’m a one-way soldier. Jazzy is a very quiet person. Loyalty is key. My loyalty still lies in the friendship I had with him. He was cheated by JJC, and I was present. I swore never to cheat him. But I’d like to think our visions became different.

‘It was clear when we met that Jazzy wanted to be the biggest producer, I wanted to be the biggest African entertainer, not the biggest singer. I had my mind on money. In order to say I’m the biggest, I had to be the richest. So for a very long time, he was on the back end. He respected my act, I respected his music judgment. Every meeting that brought us money I went for. I’d say I need to confirm from Don Jazzy because that was the agreement, even though I knew it was my decision. First Glo deal was $500,000. That Landcruiser jeep was because of my demands. It was because of the skill and exposure that I used to bargain. I’m a businessman’

‘People say I’m less talented, I was known as a jester in the JJC squad. I’d make everyone happy and play the mouth organ, but I knew what I wanted. I decided to give Don Jazzy power in 2007 when we realized that after four years, they did not recognize us as a record label. We had signed artistes and done all this work. So we restructured, and restrategized. So I told him to chill, so he can be more respected and be the don. I’m older than him by one year, yet I respected him like a don. I remember when he came out at Ali Baba show, I knelt down for him, so people would say he’s the baba. All the talking in my ears and all, it was an arrangement. All the Soundcity advert and all, he did not tell me anything. It was all an arrangement.’

With his UK publicist Vanessa Amadi taking notes nearby, his manager Bankulli interjecting every now and then, and several legal documents surrounding us, D’banj spoke passionately of his former partner in the same way a man might go on about a cherished and respected, but estranged, lover. He’s on his sixth cigarette, and thinks the room is stuffy, even though no one complains. So he opens the sliding glass for ventilation. ‘Jazzy did his part’, he says, sitting down again and looking me in the face. ‘He made the music for nine years. But nothing stops him from making for twenty more years. We could have changed the formula. Why didn’t he want to change the formula? It was time to expand the business, Mohits was Motown reloaded. We always knew we would expand, he always said I had more swagger than anyone else he knows, And I know he’s one of the best producers in the world; we wanted to make Mohits the biggest in Africa. Other labels were springing up. So if we could conquer America, London when no one had done it before. Most of our people stop in Germany, or Paris. But this is America, this is the big league; it makes us the strongest, the biggest. We had already made the money. And who best to introduce me to the rest of the world? Kanye did not want to change anything about my music, my style of dressing, or my brand. It is God’s favour. But Jazzy was and is very scared. Something had worked for eight years, so he wanted to maintain the status quo. People are afraid to try new things.’

‘But’, he tells me, still maintaining eye contact while lighting another cigarette, ‘I’m not afraid. I’m a vessel that God is trying to use to help the industry. I’m a bridge. Once in a few years, one artiste comes from the UK to run the world, none has come from Africa. Fela was the closest. It’s been my own dream; I made my name from Nigeria, unlike Seal, Wale, and Tinie Tempah. And I want to bring Universal, Def Jam and all to Nigeria. So if I can build that bridge, then we’re good, because it will give hope to the boys in Asaba, in Oshogbo that this thing is possible.’

The day after our Canary Wharf interview, we meet up at Highbury Islington, where he’s shooting a documentary and the promo for the Oliver Twist competition for the UK. D’banj’s new crew: Semtex (a white A&R rep from the label), Bankuli and Vanessa, are on the ground, working with the production team. ‘This is why we’re here o. This is the work’, he says as he invites me into the dressing room.

‘And when people say why am I not talking, this is why. I’m focused on making this happen. It’s more important for me to make sure I don’t disappoint all those who have invested in me; all those who believe in me and are supporting the movement, than to be fighting over who’s right or wrong. Even now that I’m talking to you, I don’t even know if I should be doing this interview.’

It’s very unexpected that D’banj – the super aggresive D’banj – is speaking in this manner. He has fought many battles, cut off many former friend-associates, ignored the Nigerian media, and reportedly humiliated several Mo’hits members, including Ikechukwu and Dr SID. Temperamental, often impatient, and vocal, those who know him will tell you the D’banj they know, is not the one that’s speaking.

So I ask:

The perception is that you’ve become arrogant, unreachable, proud. You’re not the D’banj we used to know; not the D’banj I used to know – and most people in the media will say this is true

Obviously people will say stuff – but this is me. I can’t keep up with everyone, no matter how much I try. But I understand where I’m coming from. I cant forget my roots – all the interviews I had yesterday, I was ‘bigging up’ DJ Abass, he gave me my first show in London. You saw me giving Jazzy props in my interview earlier. That’s me. If I was arrogant I wouldn’t have been the one even chasing Jazzy around since he told me last July that he wanted to scatter Mohits. Last time I saw him was on February 19 at Irving Plaza. He didn’t support the show, and he only came on stage when SID and Wande were performing. I wanted peace.

And even my mom, who had supported us from beginning, who gave us the house we stayed in (in Michael Otedola estate, Lagos), the Previa bus we used and paid for Tongolo video, spoke to his parents last December; ‘this is what your son said o’. I remember my mom saying to me, ‘if you guys have been together all these years, and no wahala, then if you need to part, I hope there’ll be no wahala.’ She was very particular about that. I had enough proof to have come out and speak; this thing has been on for a long time, and we’re in April now. But I don’t want to cause any wahala. I don’t want to spoil anything. I don’t want trouble. Right now, I just want to be able to move on and do my business.’

That’s surprising, because when the leaked emails emerged, revealing private email conversations between the estranged partners, all fingers pointed at D’banj. Don Jazzy, a likeable celeb and social media addict, didn’t have anything to prove. D’banj was the one who looked bad, and, understandably, would want to make a move that could earn him public sympathy.

‘The signing (away of my shares in Mohits) was already being discussed before April 16. If I kept quiet from January till now, what would it benefit me to leak anything? Remember all the stuff about my password and all? We know where that was from, I really wouldn’t want to think it was from him, my brother, but it could be from anywhere, but I don’t want to call anyone’s name’

But were the emails forged?

Everything in those emails were facts. And I don’t even think the mails favoured me in any way. It’s not the exact mails that were sent and signed, but there were elements of truth in the mails that were published.’

Why did you tell Ebony you own Mohits?

My mom advised me not to speak. And the interviewer took it out of context. I co-owned Mohits. We registered the business in 2004, and we owned it 50:50. So I spoke about that, but the interviewer took it wrong and the fans put pressure on them and they corrected it.

How about Sahara Reporters?

I never wanted to have any interview. It was on the eve of my US show. I was told I should do the interview, because they’re very troublesome. I had to do the interview for the sake of my show the next day. I was guaranteed that there’d be no politics questions. I had not been in the country. And I had been under pressure. Sadly, when that happened and I was being attacked in the media, none of my guys came out to support me.

Looking at all this, what are your regrets?

The truth is that if nothing went wrong, you’d have still heard all this good news and Mohits would take the glory, I didn’t come out in eight years to say anything. Everyone made their contributions. There were no issues, as long as it worked. My mistake was thinking that we were one. People don’t question their brothers and sisters.

How do you feel about Wande Coal and Dr. SID taking sides with Jazzy?

I won’t be too quick to judge Wande Coal. I hear it was Jazzy that tweeted those Wande tweets. I don’t know how true that is, but I know he had our social media accounts. As at a month ago, I couldn’t access any of my accounts. My password was changed on Twitter and Facebook. Then Universal intervened. I’m about to be verified on Twitter now. I’m not really a social media person, so it was Don Jazzy and some of our other guys that were running it. Wande himself knows the truth. He cannot talk to me like that. The whole Mohits knew who ran the label businesswise. They knew who to come to when they needed to get money out, after we recorded the album. Who knows the factory where Dansa was made? But you will know the marketing manager. The car he’s driving, I bought him a brand new Prado from Phyllis and Moss after he crashed the car he won from Hiphop World awards. I bought six Range Rovers last year. I bought D’Prince an LR 3 last year, he crashed it, then I bought him a Range, and it’s true that I bought two Bentleys. Because of Jazzy. But after July last year, after the issue with Jazzy, I bought myself the Aston Martin.

You bought that? I thought that was a gift?

I bought it.

How were you able to fund all that?

In the last nine years, there are a few people and corporate bodies that God has helped me build relationships with, either individuals or banks, or even corporates that are involved in the growth of the industry. I’ve enjoyed their support, and even now that we’re going global, we’re pooling the funds together from all these places.

Could you possibly be Nigeria’s richest pop star? A billionaire?

Vanity upon vanity. Money is material. In terms of what we’re doing, you’ll call me a Trillionaire, because this vision is too big for only me. With the help of the industry, the government, people like you Ayeni, we will not only be billionaires, but trillionaires, and not just me, but every little kid that has same talent like Beyonce, or Nicki Minaj. And with the standard of the UMG worldwide, we can pass people out from our own Universal Music Group Africa, Universal Def Jam Africa, and everyone should jump on this ship with us. It’s not the Titanic.

There’s been a lot of confusion – what label exactly are you signed on?

My album comes out under my label/GOOD Music/Island Def Jam. I’m funding the D’banj album, in America, through GOOD Music/Island Def Jam. GOOD Music is Kanye West who is co-executive producing with me. The deal comprises of Island Def Jam, in US. But in UK, it is under Mercury. My first single will be released in Europe on May 14. My work will be released in Africa through Universal/Def Jam. We don’t have these structures in Africa, and they’ve seen how much money they’ve lost. They’ve seen what I’ve done with Mohits. I made my pitch to them; I’ve made them realize how much they were losing in the African region. Over 150m Nigerians, over 800m Africans. 2% of that is 8.5m. They were not making anything except from S.A, which has been the US of Africa. So we will be launching this label in Ghana, in partnership with Vodafone, launching in Nigeria in partnership with MTN. Def Jam Africa will be up soon; Kenya, SA, and North Africa will follow.

Why are you risking all this? What if you burn your fingers and lose everything you’ve worked for?

Lose out? Well, I am happy I even have something to risk. To whom much is given, much is expected. Look at Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Jay Z, Kanye West, these people take it to the max, take it to where they believe that they can push it to. In the first instance, coming back to Nigeria with Jazzy was because I was a risk taker. And I wouldn’t say I’m throwing everything away. I would say I’m putting everything back in, in order to rip into the future. I get a broadcast from Tonye Cole everyday. He says when you tell people this your vision, know that it’s not for you alone – it’s for everyone. It’s like what Fela did. If what I’m doing doesn’t work, but sows that seed that will germinate in three, five years, it means my name will be written in gold.

Some people have tried this before you, unsuccessfully. Do you have doubts and fears sometimes?

My last album was in July 2008 – no album in four years and I know what I still command in those four years. The momentum for me to be able to do this is because I see how much it took me, I saw the benefit, it’s God, and the favour of the relationships we’ve built. Plus, I don’t take no for an answer, I don’t take negativity. It will work in Jesus’ name. If not, I wouldn’t have landed in the UK and hear Oliver Twist on the radio. Nor would I be in the mainstream media with them saying I’m pioneering afrobeats. I said to them ‘Oh hell no, that’s Fela’s music. Fela is the legend.’ So I pray to God – I beg my fans, it‘ll be good to do half a million downloads. It’s possible, it’s a different market. Platinum in UK is 300,000. I believe with the support of my people in Redding, Coventry, Dusting, Hackney, Thamesmead, Abbeywood, we can do it.’

And so, as I say my goodbyes and flag down the cab that’ll take me to Heathrow Airport, I can’t help thinking out loud: should one man sacrifice the wishes of the collective on the altar of ambition and material wealth? But then, what should be expected of the man whose dreams and ambition grow beyond those of other – possibly myopic- members of the collective: should an individual sacrifice his personal desires; derail his destiny, so to speak, in the interest of the collective?

In all of this, faithfulness and loyalty have been brutally murdered. And the jury is still out on who pulled the trigger.

THANKS ALOT NIGERIAN ENTERTAINMENT TODAY FOR THIS BIT OF INFORMATION.

ROBIN VAN PERSIE WINS PFA OF THE YEAR AWARD

Hey people,this is what makes me an Arsenal fan,i'm ready to always share my delight and grief of being an Arsenal fan.
So today i bring good news as our own very captain fondly called RVP (Robin Van Persie) or as Victor Ikepba calls him Van Passing *laughing*.


Robin Van Persie

Van Persie in the Middle

Robin van Persie has been named as the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year. The Arsenal captain has been in sensational form all season, scoring 27 times in the league and 34 goals in all competitions. And the Dutchman says he is honoured to receive the award.
“If other people are saying it, it is special, but it is even more special if your opponents are saying it,” he said. “It is very special because you are playing against them week in week out and every single player does everything to win and in the end if they make up their minds that I’m the best player it is a big honour.”
Van Persie was however quick to share the glory with his Arsenal team mates.
“Without them I could not have achieved it,” he said. “For example Theo Walcott, he has given me more than 12 assists and I do really appreciate that.”

Kyle Walker

Tottenham Hotspurs’ right back, Kyle Walker, went home with the Young Player of the Year and the 21-year-old who beat Sergio Aguero and Danny Welbeck to the award says he is shocked to receive it.
“I was a bit surprised because defenders don’t normally get these awards and get the limelight as much as the centre-forwards,” he said. “If you look at the people I was in with then it is a great honour to get the award and hopefully there is more to come.
“It is always an honour to be selected by the people you play against and, like I say, hopefully I can get a few more of these and some medals with Tottenham along the way.”
Both players were also selected in the Premier League’s Team of the Year.

Premier League team of the year: Joe Hart (Man City), Kyle Walker (Tottenham), Vincent Kompany (Man City), Fabricio Coloccini (Newcastle), Leighton Baines (Everton), David Silva (Man City), Yaya Toure (Man City), Gareth Bale (Tottenham), Scott Parker (Tottenham), Robin van Persie (Arsenal), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd).

Championship team: Kelvin Davis (Southampton), Nathaniel Clyne (Crystal Palace), James Tomkins (West Ham), Curtis Davies (Birmingham), Ian Harte (Reading), Adam Lallana (Southampton), Peter Whittingham (Cardiff), Mark Noble (West Ham), Matt Phillips (Blackpool), Rickie Lambert (Southampton), Jay Rodriguez (Burnley).

League One team: Ben Hamer (Charlton), Jack Hunt (Huddersfield), Michael Morrison (Charlton), Harry Maguire (Sheff Utd), Rhoys Wiggins (Charlton), Johnnie Jackson (Charlton), Stephen Quinn (Sheff Utd), Stephen Gleeson (MK Dons), Darren Potter (MK Dons), Jordan Rhodes (Huddersfield), Ched Evans (Sheff Utd).

League Two team: Robert Olejnik (Torquay), Paul Caddis (Swindon), Kyle McFadzean (Crawley), Ian Sharps (Shrewsbury), Kevin Nicholson (Torquay), Matt Ritchie (Swindon), Marlon Pack (Cheltenham), Eunan O’Kane (Torquay), Lee Mansell (Torquay), Izale McLeod (Barnet), Tyrone Barnett (Crawley).

IT'S NOW MERCURY RECORDS FOR D'BANJ

Hello readers it's been a while i wrote, i thought D'Banj had joined good music, what's up with all this mercury label gist.Well let's keep our fingers crossed and see what happens cos this whole drama is getting more interesting.

D'Banj

Former Mohits label co-owner, D’Banj has been signed on top United Kingdom record label, Mercury Records.
His name and picture has also been updated on Mercury Records’ official website to confirm the deal.
Mercury Records presently has Elton John, Gabriel Bruce MIA and others signed under it.
Mercury Records is also a subsidiary of Universal Music Group same as Island Def Jam where Kanye West, Jay Z, Mariah Carey and other top US artiste belong to.
D’Banj’s twitter profile has since been changed to reflect Mercury Records on it.
His new twitter profile now reads DB/Good Music/Mercury/IDJ. IDJ means Island Def Jam

I sha pray this new label is as good as Mohits sha.

AMMA AWARDS 2012 LIST OF NOMINEES AND WINNERS

Interesting how the awards went but i'm thinking the Nollywood industry could do alot better.


This year’s edition of the African Movie Academy Awards took place at the Expo Hall of the Eko Hotel and Suites yesterday.
The eagerly anticipated event was anchored by our own OC UKeje and Hollywood actor, Jimmy Jean-Louis. Rita Dominic won in the Best Actress category, while Majid Michel took home the Actor gong.
Here's a full list of nominees and winners and some pictures.

Majid Micheal

Rita Dominic

AMAA 2012 Best Short Film

1. JAMAA – Uganda

2. Look Again – Kenya

3. Maffe Tiga – Guinea

4. Braids On Bald Head – Nigeria [WINNER]

5. Hidden Life – South Africa

6. Mwansa The Great – Zimbabwe

7. Chumo – Tanzania

8. The Young Smoker – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Best Documentary

1. African Election – Nigeria/Germany [WINNER]

2. Beyond The Deadly Pit – Rwanda

3. Awa Ogbe: An African Adventure –Algeria

4. Dear Mandella – South Africa

5. White & Black; Crime And Colour – Tanzania

6. The Niger Delta Struggle – Ghana

7. There Is Nothing Wrong With My Uncle –Nigeria

8. How Much Is Too Much – Kenya

AMAA 2012 Best Diaspora Feature

1. Toussanat Louverture – France [WINNER]

2. Ghetta Life – Jamaica

3. High Chicago– Canada

4. Elza – Guadelupe

5. Better Must Come – Jamaica

6. Kinyanrwanda – USA

AMAA 2012 Best Diaspora Documentary

1. The Education Of Auma Obama – Germany [WINNER]

2. White Wash – USA

3. Almendron Mi Corazon – Guadelupe

4. All Me: The Life And Times Of Winfred Hubert – USA

AMAA 2012 Best Diaspora (Short Film)

1. John Doe – USA

2. White Sugar In A Black Pot – USA [WINNER]

3. The Lost One – USA

AMAA 2012 Best Animation

1. The Legend Of Ngog Hills – (Kenya) [WINNER]

2. Oba – (Nigeria)

3. Climate Change Is Real – (Kenya)

4. Egu – (South Africa)

5. Chomoka – (Kenya)

AMAA 2012 Best Film By An African Living Abroad

1. Mystery Of Birds – USA/Nigeria [WINNER]

2. Housemates – UK/Nigeria

3. Ben Kross – Italy/Nigeria

4. Paparezzi Eye In The Dark – USA/Nigeria/Ghana

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Production Design

1. Somewhere In Africa – Ghana

2. Phone Swap – Nigeria [WINNER]

3. Otelo Burning – South Africa

4. Adesuwa – Nigeria

5. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Costume Design

1. The Captain Of Nakara – Kenya

2. Adesuwa – Nigeria [WINNER]

3. Rugged Priest – Kenya

4. Somewhere In Africa – Ghana

5. Queen's Desire – Ghana

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Make-Up

1. Rugged Priest – Kenya

2. State Research Bureau – Uganda

3. Adesuwa – Nigeria

4. Somewhere In Africa – Ghana

5. Shattered – Kenya [WINNER]

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Soundtrack

1. Otelo Burning – South Africa

2. Alero's Symphony – Nigeria [WINNER]

3. Adesuwa – Nigeria

4. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa

5. Somewhere In Africa – Ghana

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Visual Effects

1. Behind The Mask –

2. Somewhere In Africa – Ghana

3. Adesuwa – Nigeria [WINNER]

4. State Research Bureau – Uganda

5. Otelo Burning – South Africa

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Sound

1. State Of Violence – South Africa [WINNER]

2. Otelo Burning – South Africa

3. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa

4. Man On Ground – South Africa

5. Algiers Murder – South Africa

AMAA 2012 Achievement In

Cinematography

1. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa

2. Otelo Burning – South Africa [WINNER]

3. Rugged Priest – Kenya

4. Masquerades – Ghana

5. Man On Ground – South Africa/Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Editing

1. Algiers Murder – South Africa

2. Man On Ground – South Africa/Nigeria

3. Unwanted Guest – Nigeria

4. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa [WINNER]

5. Otelo Burning – South Africa

6. Alero's Symphony – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Achievement In Screenplay

1. Ties That Bind – Ghana [WINNER]

2. Mr & Mrs – Nigeria

3. How To Steal 2 Million – South Africa

4. Otelo Burning – South Africa

5. Unwanted Guest – Nigeria

6. Two Brides And A Baby – Nigeria

AMAA 2012 Best Nigerian Film

1. Unwanted Guest – Nigeria

2. Family On Fire – Nigeria

3. Alero's Symphony

4. Adesuwa [WINNER]

5. Phone Swap

AMAA 2012 Best Film In An African Language

1. Chumo (Tanzania)

2. State Of Violence (South Africa) [WINNER]

3. Family On Fire (Nigeria)

4. Otelo Burning (South Africa)

5. Asoni (Cameroun)

AMAA 2012 Best Child Actor

1. Rahman Junior Bande (Greg) – Behind The Mask

2. Tsepang Mohlomi (Ntwe) – Otelo Burning [WINNER]

3. Reginna Danies (Jenny) – Bank Job

5. Benjamin Abemigisha & Racheal Nduhukire

(Derick And Margaret) – JAMAA

6. Ayinla O. Abdulaheem – Zr-7

AMAA 2012 Best Young/Promising Actor

1. Neo Ntatleno (Oj) – State Of Violence

2. Ivie Okujaye (Alero) – Alero's Symphony [WINNER]

3. Iyobosa Olaye (Adesuwa) – Adesuwa

4. Martha Ankomah – Somewhere In Africa

5. Thomas Gumede& Sihle Xaba – Otelo Burning

AMAA 2012 Best Actor In A Supporting Role

1. Rapuldna Seiphemo (Twala) – How to Steal 2 Million [WINNER]

2. Fano Mokoena – Man on Ground

3. Hafiz Oyetoro – Phone Swap

4. Okechukwu Uzoesi – Two Brides and a Baby

5. Godfrey Theobejane – 48

6. Lwanda Jawar –Rugged Priest

AMAA 2012 Best Actress In A Supporting Role

1. Terry Phetto –How To Steal 2 Million [WINNeR]

2. Ebbe Bassey –Ties That Bind

3. Empress Njamah –Bank Job

4. Ngozi Ezeonu –Adesuwa

5. Thelma Okoduwa –Mr & Mrs

6. Omotola Jalade Ekeinde – Ties That Bind

AMAA 2012 Best Actor In A Leading Role

1. Menzi Ngubane – How to Steal 2 Million

2. Majid Micheal – Somewhere In Africa [WINNER]

3. Chet Anekwe – Unwanted Guest

4. Jafta Mamabolo – Otelo Burning

5. Karabo Lance – 48

6. Wale Ojo – Phone Swap

7. Hakeem Kae-Kazim – Man on Ground

AMAA 2012 Best Actress In A Leading

Role

1. Nse Ikpe Etim – Mr & Mrs

2. Yvonne Okoro – Single Six

3. Ama K. Abebrese – Ties That Bind

4. Rita Dominic – Shattered [WINNER]

5. Uche Jombo – Damage

6. Millicent Makheido – 48

7. Kudzai Sevenzo-Nyarai – Playing Warriors

AMAA 2012 Prize for Best Director

1. Adesuwa – Lancelot Oduwa Imaseun

2. Ties That Bind – Leila Djansi

3. Rugged Priest – Bob Nyanja

4. How to Steal 2 Million – Charlie Vundla [WINNER]

5. State Of Violence – Khalo Matabane

6. Man on Ground – Akin Omotoso

7. Otelo Burning – Sara Bletcher

AMAA 2012 Best Film

1. State Of Violence (South Africa)

2. Adesuwa (Nigeria)

3. Otelo Burning (South Africa)

4. Rugged Priest (Kenya)

5. How to Steal 2 Million (South Africa) [WINNER]

6. Ties That Bind (Ghana)

7. Man on Ground (South Africa/NIGERIA)

AMAA 2012 SPECIAL JURY PRIZE

Man On Ground – South Africa / Nigeria

TEVEZ AND HIS HAT-TRICK

Hmmmmmm.Carlos Tevez and Hat-trick interesting.Mancini are you still going to sell him.


Manchester City cut the gap between themselves and United to two points, thanks to a vintage display from Carlos Tevez. The Argentine scored a hat-trick, while his compatriot, Sergio Aguero helped himself to a brace. Adam Johnson scored the sixth goal for the Blues as they ran out 6-1 winners.
Tevez opened the scoring with a fierce drive from the edge of the box. He then combined excellently with Aguero who blasted in the second. Andrew Surman pulled one back early in the second half, but Tevez scored twice to kill off the Canaries hope.

TEVEZ AND TEAM MATES

So the prodigal son is back abi.

12 WAYS TO SPOT A LIAR AT WORK

I'm sure some of you will thank me for this article when you get to work tomorrow.

My best advice is not to rely on any one signal. You’ll be more successful if you look for clusters of behaviors (three or four body language cues that reinforce one another). To increase your chances of spotting a falsehood, watch for a cluster of body language cues that include:

1. A fake smile. It’s hard for liars to give a real smile while seeking to deceive. (Real smiles crinkle the corners of the eyes and change the entire face. Faked smiles involve the mouth only.)

2. Unusual response time. When the lie is planned (and rehearsed), deceivers start their answers more quickly than truth-tellers. If taken by surprise, however, the liar takes longer to respond – as the process of inhibiting the truth and creating a lie takes extra time.

3. Verbal cues. When lying, a person’s vocal tone will rise to a higher pitch. Other verbal cues include rambling, selective wording (in which one avoids answering the question exactly as asked), stammering, and the use of qualifiers (“To the best of my knowledge.” “I could be wrong . . . “). It’s also been noted that liars use fewer contractions: “I did not have sex with that woman . . .” rather than “I didn’t . . . ”

4. Under or over production of saliva. Watch for sudden swallowing in gulps or the increased need to drink water or moisten lips.

5. Pupil dilation. One nonverbal signal that is almost impossible to fake is pupil dilation. The larger pupil size that most people experience when telling a lie can be attributed to an increased amount of tension and concentration.

6. Change in blink rate. A person’s blink rate slows down as she decides to lie and stays low through the lie. Then it increases rapidly (sometimes up to eight times normal rate) after the lie.


7. Foot movements. When lying, people will often display nervousness and anxiety through increased foot movements. Feet will fidget, shuffle and wind around each other or around the furniture. They will stretch and curl to relieve tension, or even kick out in a miniaturized attempt to run away.

8. Face touching. A person’s nose may not grow when he tells a lie, but watch closely and you’ll notice that when someone is about to lie or make an outrageous statement, he’ll often unconsciously rub his nose. (This is most likely because a rush of adrenaline opens the capillaries and makes his nose itch.) Mouth covering is another common gesture of people who are being untruthful, as is covering the eyes.

9. Incongruence. When a person believes what she is saying her gestures and expressions are in alignment with her words. When you see a mismatch — where gestures contradict words – such as a side-to-side head shake while saying “yes” or a person frowning and staring at the ground while telling you she is happy, it’s a sign of deceit or at least an inner conflict between what that person is thinking and saying.

Trust me people you will spot one or more of this signs at work tomorrow.