Nigerian And World News

Thursday, January 7

Inseparable couple married for 76 years die within 3 days of each other

An inseparable couple who were married for 76 years and went everywhere together including work have died within three days of each other.

Phyllis and Miles Higgin met at a dance in 1933 when she was just 15 years old - marrying in 1939 and only separated when he was sent to war.

They even worked alongside each other running pubs and once retired would go out for walks with their dog up to three or four times a day.

Even as they fell ill they shared a double room together at their care home in Burnley, Lancs.Their family say Phyllis died aged 97 - and Miles died just three days later aged 99.

Loved ones thought poorly Miles would go first but believe "he waited for her to die - he didn't want to leave her alone."

Their only child, Angela Hartley, 66, paid tribute to her parents' wonderful love story.

She told how they shared a double room at the Abbey Grange Care Home in for the past 19 months and were much loved by the staff there.

Mrs Hartley said:

"They would holiday together, shop together, walk together. They did absolutely everything together. They didn't spend any time apart. They never talked of having a secret to their marriage but would always talk things through and would do everything together. At the end of the day they just loved each other very much. They would sit together holding hands all day long and my dad would be constantly telling staff that he loved her. He had the staff in tears all the time."

Daily Mirror

Read Seun Kuti's reaction to IMF boss visiting Nigeria

IMF boss, Christine Lagarde, arrived in Nigeria on the 4th of January 2016 for talks with President Buhari over Nigerian economy.

Woman has her own fat pumped into butt to get Kim Kardashian curves

The Kim Kardashian wannabe spent £7,000 on a Brazilian butt-lift to look like her idol, Daily Star reports. Marlene Chinea decided to go under the knife after 300-squats-a-day failed to give her the booty of her dreams. The 36-year-old spent thousands of hours in the gym working on her behind, but when nothing worked she resorted to having four pounds of fat injected into her bum to make it curvier.

"No matter how much exercise I did, I'd never get the results I wanted. I was okay with my bum before but I thought a little more would accentuate my assets. I simply wanted more projection"

"I modelled my butt on Kim Kardashian. Kim is simply beautiful and anything she wears looks fabulous on her."

The nurse from Miami Beach, Florida, had been hitting the gym for several hours between five and six times a week, but medics told her that she had to quit working out and gain weight before they could transform her backside.

Marlene gorged on anything and everything she wanted from pizza to ice cream over the course of a few months so that she'd have extra fat that could be transferred to her booty.

During the gruelling five hour surgery the fat was sucked out of her arms, back, abs and thighs using liposuction and then injected into her bum. Marlene's new bubble butt meant that she was too bootylicious to fit into any of her old jeans and shorts.

With a bum to rival Kim K's, Marlene didn't waste any time and went on a shopping spree to style herlself like her favourite reality star. She said:

"Nothing fits so I've had to buy everything new. I've done lots of shopping to replace my wardrobe. Clothes for the most part have to be high-waisted.

"I was so excited with my new body that I was sure to buy outfits that Kim K would wear. I bought a couple of bodysuits and pencil skirts like she's always wearing

But this wasn't the first time that Marlene had enhanced her assets as she also had a boob job back in 2012. Now she's happy with her body and doesn't plan on having any more procedures any time soon.

"As of right now, I will enjoy my new body before adding any other surgeries," said Marlene.

"I had mixed emotions about the procedure. I was excited, anxious, nervous, happy and scared all at the same time. But ultimately, I was ready to have the body I wanted.

"Overall life is good and I am happy. I've also received plenty of attention from both sexes… not just guys either.

"Many people in today's society still ridicule plastic surgery, but I can attest that some results can never be achieved with diet and exercise alone.

"I believe that my results would never have been achieved by exercise simply because of my anatomy.

The butt job was carried out by one of Florida's most sought-after plastic surgeons Michael Salzhauer, 43, who's better known as Dr. Miami. And according to him, the demand for round rumps is soaring thanks to big-bottomed celebs like Kim, Beyonce, J-Lo who have "coke bottle" shaped figures.

The Popular Owonifari Market In Oshodi was demolished today

The Owonifari Market in Oshodi has been demolished by the Lagos state government to make way for a bus terminal.
The market which has been in existence for more than 40 years and has been closed for some time to curb the security challenges in Oshodi.

According to the Commisioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the area will be transformed to a an ultra-modern bus terminal.

"The Owonifari area will be transformed into an ultra modern bus terminal with new bus shelters that are befitting of a structured park in a mega city."

The demolition of the said area was directly supervised in the earlier hours of Wednesday by the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.
But the question remains, what then happens to the people who made a living from the shops and stalls that were demolished.

Nigeria is too small for Igbo - Adamu Ciroma

Mallam Adamu Ciroma

Mallam Adamu Ciroma, journalist, administrator, politician, former minister of different portfolios and erstwhile governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is one of Nigeria's leading statesmen.

Ciroma, who was third in the 1978 presidential primaries of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN, subsequently turned out to become a close confidant of President Shehu Shagari and served as minister in the Second Republic. He was also a close confidant of President Olusegun Obasanjo in the Fourth Republic and a rallying figure in the northern opposition to the 2011 presidential bid of President Goodluck Jonathan. Ciroma has largely kept out of the public eye despite the active participation of his wife, Hayiya Maryam Ciroma in the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

In this interview with Vanguard, he speaks on issues in his party, the PDP, the polity and among others. Excerpts:

You have been quiet for long on issues. Why?

There is no issue and I don't have to talk to the media or anybody.

As a founding father of the PDP, a lot of things went wrong and the party lost after 16 years in government. What do you think really happened?

You are a reporter and you have been following events more than me. Some of the things which caused the downfall of the party, have already been reported by you, and some of them were the cause of controversy in the party, for example about the presidential candidate where he comes from.

Do you also agree that there were also issues of lack of respect, lack of internal democracy in the party?

Everything about Nigerian politics and the formation of PDP and the management of affairs during the PDP period are known by you and indeed by everybody and everyone is even tired of them.

Now even the new government that has not been formed yet properly has not settled yet, has not done anything yet, why do you want to confuse us again about the PDP period? You know everything about PDP period; you know everything they are doing even now. I don't want to be in the press because you have come to ask me questions.

How can we get to the end of the Boko Haram insurgency?

The President has asked the military to bring the insurgency to an end by the end of December, this is official, everybody has heard of it and everybody is praying for the success of the president and everybody wants to help. So we pray that what the President said comes true and we hope that this nation will be able to have peace.

Was setting a time line for it really feasible?

I am not a military personnel, I am not a member of the police force.

Worries about foreign exchange

I am not a member of any of the security agencies; so I am not the one to answer that question.

How would you assess the government of President Muhammadu Buhari?

I have just told you that the government that was elected after the elections has not yet been properly established; ministers have just been named and approved by the Senate, the ministers are still familiarizing themselves with their ministries; so it is too early to ask what they have done or how they are doing it.

In fact, a lot of the worries people have now, is about the economy and the foreign exchange and things of that nature. It is now for the president to look at what the people are saying and deal with the problems of which they are throwing up and it is his duty to do that.

How will you assess the present economic team of Mr President and his economic blueprint? And if you are to proffer an economic advice, what would you recommend?

You go and ask Udo Udoma and the Minister of Finance to explain to you their positions on things as they have outlined their programme to the President. I am not governor of the CBN now; I have not been the governor of the CBN for a long time.

Even, I was the minister of finance a long time ago. So all I know is that people are worried about foreign exchange, about financial transactions, about banking and I know that the government knows about these problems; though I expect the government to deal with them.

Nigerians will want to share in your experience on how you succeeded as finance minister and as CBN governor.

I did not have the same problem with the present government. I am old fashioned. Our view was that finance must deal with funding government activities, paying government workers, paying for economic development and once you put an item in the budget, you may consider it already done because government must find the resources to do them; in fact they will not put anything in the budget if they cannot find the resources to do them.

So our own way of doing things was old fashioned and when we say things you know, they will be done. But the present government is just settling in. I don't know their plans.

Part of their plans is to deregulate the price of petroleum which could see the price go up in future. Is there hope?

Udo Udoma laid out his views of what is likely going to happen to the economy. The Minister of Finance has said she expected there should be a lot of hard times next year.

Alleged arms deals

But I am sure that from now on, they are trying to ensure that only good things happen, that the problems they are afraid of will be avoided and I am sure that they are going to do their best.

Are you worried by the revelations on the alleged misuse of the security funds raised against the former National Security Adviser, Col. Samo Dasuki?

The issue of the alleged arms deals involving the former National Security Adviser is just something which is unfolding and you know that the matter is in court, the EFCC is trying to prosecute some of those involved and you can see the complication in public affairs where something begins with security adviser and ends up with the distribution of money at party level for the campaign.

So we are still in the middle of these things, we don't know how it is going to end. You just for the time being take note that people are being arrested, some are being tried and some denying receiving money from the security adviser. So the issues are going to clarify themselves in due course when EFCC has finished trying those who are accused.

Col. Sambo Dasuki mentioned that some party leaders were involved and they used it as campaign funds for the party, was it right and during your time did it happen that money maybe from the NSA or so, will be directed to the party?

Anything in politics, no matter how you deal with it secretly, eventually becomes public, eventually people will get to know about it. What didn't get exposed didn't happen.

So the issues they are having now are issues that have happened. It didn't happen before and that was why it was not exposed. And I don't know the details of what they did.

The PDP recently organized a national conference supposedly to heal wounds? Did they get it right?

You know it more than myself, you were there, you reported the thing. I was not there, they said I would be there, but I was not there. Did they not say I would be there?

Why didn't you attend?

I was not there because I wasn't clear in my own mind what they were trying to do.

Meaning they didn't come to explain, they didn't visit you?

They visited me, they explained, but I was not convinced.

Immediately after the election, two prominent PDP leaders resigned their positions in the party Adamu Muazu and the next day the chairman BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, what is your take on this?

I will not. Adamu Muazu is alive and well, the former chairman of BoT is alive and well.

Winning and losing

It is more interesting to get them to talk than to ask me a retired person to talk about things which happened when I was not there.

Some people are still saying that PDP will bounce back. Do you think so?

HSBC cuts ties with UK Islamic charity over 'terror' fears

UNITED Kingdom based banking giant HSBC has ended its links with Britain's biggest government-funded Muslim charity allegedly over fears of terror funding.

The bank had taken the decision to cut ties with Islamic Relief a year ago amid concerns that cash for aid could end up with terrorist groups abroad, 'The Sunday Times' reported today.

The decision, which has not been made public before, has upset the charity, which receives millions of pounds from the UK's Department for International Development (DfID).

Islamic Relief says HSBC's stance led to delays in buying tents for survivors of the Nepal earthquake last year.

HSBC has halted services for other Muslim groups in the past, but Islamic Relief – which operates in more than 40 countries – is the most high-profile to be affected.

Imran Madden, Islamic Relief's UK director, said discussions took place with HSBC in 2014 in which "the bank felt it difficult to continue its relationship with us due to the nature of our work".

Madden told the newspaper: "They invited us to end the relationship - which we did at the end of the year. We were and remain extremely surprised by HSBC's stance.

"Islamic Relief's mission is to alleviate poverty and suffering where most needed and that means we are committed to operating in complex conflicts where proscribed organisations are sometimes active.

"It appears that this is deemed a risk too far by HSBC, but we continue to be trusted to deliver aid in such places by governments and by other financial institutions."

The charity was set up in 1984, and from 2012-14 received about 4 million pounds from DfID's aid budget including funds to educate children affected by the Syrian war.

DfID said funding was subject to "rigorous checks".

A source close to the charity told the 'Times', its problems with HSBC stem from its work in the Middle East, including projects in Gaza and Syria.

The Israeli government had banned Islamic Relief from the West Bank in 2014, accusing it of funnelling money to Hamas, which Israel, the US and EU regard as a terrorist group. The charity denies the claim and said an independent audit found no evidence to support it , a view shared by the DEC and DfID.

The charity, which spent more than 70 million pounds in 2014, still banks with other major British banks Barclays and NatWest, according to its accounts.

HSBC said: "Whenever we review a customer relationship, we gather information from a wide range of sources and take a number of factors into consideration.

"For a business customer these factors would typically include the type of activities the business is involved in, the jurisdictions in which it operates and the products and services it uses.

"Although we can't always be specific about why we decide to close an account, a decision of this kind is never taken lightly and is never due to the customer's race or religion."

'Unemployment crashing Nigerians' marriages'

A cross section of Nigerians have decried the alarming rate of break-up of marriages in the society as shown in divorce cases in customary courts.

The stakeholders, who spoke to News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in separate interviews, expressed sadness over the development, noting that the Nigerian family system was fast degenerating into fragmented society.

Investigation by NAN at two customary courts in Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, revealed that between January 2014 and December 2015, no fewer than 500 divorce suits were filed out of which 468 of the marriages were dissolved.

Speaking on the development, Chief Ademola Odunade, Presiding President of one of the customary courts, identified high rate of unemployment in the country among factors responsible for broken homes.

He explained that most of the divorce cases in the courts were as a result of the inability of the man, the head of the family, to cater for his wife and children.

The judge advised that spouse should always learn to revert to the old practice of using intermediary who could easily mediate when marital crises arose rather than seeking dissolution of their union in court.

Another Ibadan based customary court president and a community leader, Mr Henric Agbaje, said that fading culture of payment of bride price and dowry was responsible for collapse in marriages.

Agbaje explained that though men at that time had many wives because of the nature of their occupation (farming), they still cohabited peacefully and displayed sincerity and tolerance.

The jurist identified disintegration of cultural and family values occasioned by modern trends as among the factors for the high rate of divorce.

In her contribution, Miss Toibat Oladele, a divorcee, noted that investigating one's spouse thoroughly during courtship was imperative to a successful marriage.

Another divorcee, a banker, who identified herself simply as Morayo, said that her marriage lasted for just 18 months when she quitted.

Some other divorcees who spoke on condition of anonymity identified infidelity, irresponsibility, negligence, distrust and sexual starvation among the reasons for the break in their marriages.

Mr Mojeed Adeleke, a regular observer of divorce cases at Mapo Customary Courts, said that old spouses who were supposed to be good examples to newly married ones were not doing any better, judging from cases in the courts.

Adeleke frowned at the high rate of divorce cases involving couples in their late 60s and 70s.

He noted that in most cases, the unions had reached four to five decades with their children already grown up and even married. Professor Adeniyi Olatunbosun, the Dean of Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan, said the high rate of marriage dissolutions arose from social problems such as bad economy and intolerable attitudes. He said government should address the challenge of high rate of unemployment in the society to reduce divorce and encourage blissful marriages.

Professor Julius Ademokoya, also of the University of Ibadan, said that cultural, attitudinal and lack of proper understanding of what marriage is all about contributed to the high rate of marriage break up in the society.

Ademokoya, a rehabilitation counsellor, advised would-be couples to always understudy themselves properly and iron out all issues before embarking on the lifelong journey called marriage.

Mr Kolawole Oyerinde, an Ibadan based lawyer, said s that at least five divorce cases were filed daily at the Oyo State High Court.

Another expert, Professor Oka Obono, Director, Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, CEPACS, University of Ibadan, explained that the context of modern industrial society was largely responsible for setbacks in marriages.

Obono said many marriages crumbled owing to constant mobility occasioned by transfer at work which created disharmony among couples.

The sociologist counseled that couples should imbibe the culture of patience and moral accountability.

Mr Dotun Odebode, an Ibadan based pastor, blamed the rising divorce cases on the refusal of couples to allow God to decide for them through fervent prayers.

Otti: APGA chieftain hails judgment, says party will win in more states

Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka

IGBO leader, Chief Rommy Ezeonwuka has applauded the Appeal Court judgment, which declared candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Alex Otti, as winner of Abia State governorship election held on April 11 and April 25, 2015. Ezeonwuka described the judgment as a true reflection of the people's votes and a New Year blessing for the state.

The Governorship Election Appeal Tribunal sitting in Owerri, Imo State nullified the election of Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu and declared Dr. Otti of APGA, winner of the April 11 and April 25 supplementary elections.

The five-member panel, headed by Justice Oyebisi Omoleye, annulled the election on grounds of substantial non-compliance with the electoral law.

Ezeonwuka, a member of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of APGA said with the victory, Abia was reborn and added that the emergence of an APGA governor marked the beginning of freedom of democracy and good governance that the people of the state had yearned for.

Reacting to Governor Ikpeazu's decision to drag the case to Supreme Court, he added, "as Ogirisi Igbo, I am bold enough to predict and express the hope that the Supreme Court will uphold the judgment of the Appeal Court.

"Personally, as Ogirisi Igbo, I am vindicated because I predicted that Otti will win the election and liberate Abia from the shackles of PDP and he won as the Appeal Court has rightly declared."

Actress Uche Ogbodo pens apology for using The F-word

Yesterday, actress Uche Ogbodo went on an F-word rant, slamming her haters.She has written a lengthy apology. Read below

Hi Everyone, I Wish to tender my heartfelt apology via IG Since this is where it all Started. I am apologising only 'cos I see that my inappropriate use of the #F word in my rant has provoked and broken the hearts of my ardent Fans.

Beyonce's mum Tina Knowles shares stunning photos as she turns 62

Tina Knowles turned 62 today and she shared stunning photos a few hours before. She also shared some pics from her Dominican Newyear vacation with husband, Lawson.

Beautiful woman! See below.

Future slams Ciara, calls her a bit*ch for restricting his access to their son

2016 the year of drama... Future has come for Ciara over their son, baby Future. He claims he pays her $15k in child support and she only lets him see their son through lawyers. According to his tweets, he has been patient for a year...

Wondering why he is just complaining now... Probably angry Ciara and Russell are getting married soon and wants the courts to slash the child support!

Rob Kardashian Diagnosed With Diabetes After Being Rushed To Hospital

Kris Jenner's only son, Rob Kardashian was rushed to a Los Angeles-area hospital over the weekend when he began feeling ill and his condition worsened.
After a series of tests were conducted, doctors told Rob that he suffered from diabetes, which was news to him, according to TMZ. The incident is said to be a "wake up call" to Rob that he needs to get healthy.

"He's home already. He went for a little and is fine now. It was a wake up call," A source told E! News.
The insider said that Rob's tests revealed his blood sugar levels were very high, and doctors told him that he needs to lose weight, exercise and dramatically change his diet, or it will get worse.

Glee Star Mark Salling Arrested For Child Pornography Following Tip-off From His Ex-girlfriend

33 year old Mark Salling who plays Noah 'Puck' Puckerman in the hit FOX series Glee was arrested by LA Police on Tuesday morning after police raided his home in Sunland, California after they got a tip off from his ex-girlfriend. Cops searched the 33-year-old's computer and say they found more than a thousand indecent images of child sexual exploitation. The children found on his computer were said to be less than 16 years old.

He posted bail of about $20,000 later on the same day. Possession of more than 600 images can carry a punishment of up to five years in prison. His court date has been set for January 22.

According to CrimeWatchDaily who first reported the story, Salling didn't let police into his house at first, so they had to resort to use of battering rams before they could get into the house.

His computer and other electronic devices were reportedly seized by cops after Salling refused to tell them his password.

Tuesday's arrest was not the star's first brush with the law. In March it's believed he reached a $2.7million settlement with a woman who had sued him for sexual battery. Salling shot to fame playing Noah 'Puck' Puckerman in the hit FOX series Glee. He first appeared in 2008 and was a regular until season five.

Nnamdi Kanu Apologises To Pres. Buhari, Jonathan And Igbo Elders

Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra and founder of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has expressed regret for referring to President Buhari as a terrorist, evil and a paedophile during one of his programmes on his radio station on August 1st this year. Kanu tendered the apology for his comment against Buhari, Jonathan and others in a statement which he made to the DSS on October 23rd.

The statement in part reads

"Reference to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a terrorist, evil and a paedophile is regrettable and uncalled for and for that, I unreservedly apologise and will be doing so in a private letter to the President. Before PMB (President Buhari) there was the administration of Goodluck Jonathan. I also said uncomplimentary things about him and Igbo elders as well, which I now recognise should not have happened because it is un-African to be rude or insolent to elders. All I was trying to do is to draw attention to the problems afflicting society and something done about them."‎.

He says he is however not apologetic on his stand for the actualization of the Biafran state. Kanu who is standing trial for treason and five other offenses, was arrested on October 14th this year. He was recently charged to court by the ‎federal government.