Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: 01/27/2008 - 02/03/2008

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Thursday 7 February 2008

Naija Entertainment News

I promised you Naija Entertainment news yesterday...well, here it is! Plenty of it...Enjoy

Moji Obasanjo ready for libel battle
Let's start with the Moji/Gbenga scandal. According to Encomium magazine Moji finally made a comment about her divorce scandal to the press. They said on Thursdat Jan 31st 08, Moji told them via SMS "Everyone to his conscience..I am not talking to the press. Thank you very much for showing concern in this issue"

Now to the latest news...they say Moji's counsel, Kola Awodeyin, SAN, has written to Gbenga asking him to retract all he said within 7 days or risk being slammed with a suit. But unperturbed, Gbenga has been talking tough, threatening to expose more should he be pushed to the wall.

Sunny Okoson suffering from cancer of the colon
The younger brother of Ozzidi King, Charles Okosun, told the press that evangelist Sunny Okosun is suffering from cancer of the colon which he has been battling for sometime now but that hasn't deterred him from ministering as he is presently in the US mininstering in some churches.

Jazzman Olofin and Dare Art Alade quit Storm Records
Two popular Nigerian acts Jazzman Olofin and Dare Art Alade, who had for years pitched their tents with Storm Records, ahve called it quits in order to do things their own way. The two artistes and the management of Storm Records decided tp part ways when they couldn't arrive at a compromise. The artistes wanted the management to start work on the release of their next album, but the company decided otherwise on the excuse that they have to wait till they release the albums of other artistes on the label. This didn't go down well with the artiste and they made an offer to leave, which was accepted by the label.

Deola Sagoe opens ultra modern showroom
On Saturday Jan 26th 08, Deola Sagoe, one of Africa's best designers, officially opened her lifestyle boutique store at Plot 292f, Ajose Adeogun Street, V/Island, Lagos. Everyone who was anyone attended the event. More grease to her elbow.


This headline and story is either absurd or funny. Here it is...found in one of our local gossip mags.
D'Banj, Ruggedman, KC Presh deny engaging in fraudulent business.
'We don't do yahoo yahoo'
According to the mag...'The astonishing wealth which has become the major characteristic of most Nigerian hip hop artistes has been ascribed to internet fraud better known as yahoo-yahoo. Accoding to information at our disposal, the artistes who are allegedly into illegal practice have their own internet facilities and have their own guys who are instumental to the success of their illegitimate deals. The source further disclosed that most of these artistes have their agent in London, adding that they only hide under the umbrella of entertainment while making millions of naira through internet fraud.

The artistes react

KC Presh "That is not true. We don't have time. The problem is that some Nigerians are lazy and they think everybody is like them. Showbiz is big business anywhere in the world. A serious artiste can make clean money. We make money from album sales, shows and event packaging. We are not aware of hip hop artistes who have descended so low to abandon arts for internet fraud"

D Banj "It can't be true. Where is the time to do that? Besides all of you know DBanj is a very hardworking person. I am always busy and occupied with shows and you can imagine the millions I make from shows and they come regularly. I also get endorsements worth millions of naira, so how would I descend so low to the extent of engaging in internet fraud? I don't even have the time to check my mails, let alone browsing. So, it is a white lie"

Ruggedman "I don't know anything about that my brother"

Shan George launches music album
Actress, Shan George, has fixed her album launch for Sunday Feb 17th 08 at the Niteshift Coliseum, Opebi, Ikeja. Her album parades 7 tracks and all songs are in her Ediba Cross River dialect. That's not nice Shan. What about those who don't understand your language. You should have had at least one song in English. Anyway, Good luck with that.

PSquare acquires Hummer H2

Guv'nor's daughter set to wed
Niteshift Guv'nor, Ken Calebs Olumese's eldest daughter, Cynthia, is set to walk down the aisle with her beau, Pabina Yinkere. The date for the wedding is April 12th 2008. Congrats to the couple.

Sheila Okonji builds house for parents London based music producer, Sheila Okonji, has just finished building a bungalow hose which she gave to her parents and also gave them keys to a Toyota 4X4. Good of her!

Apprentice Africa
Sunday January 20th 08 marked the beginning of business for 18 young Africans contesting for $200, 000 in a foremost business reality TV show as production began for The Apprentice Africa. Pulling contestants from across Africa and the disapora, Appentice Africa is sponsored by Bank PHB.

Tee-A robbed
A-list comedian Tee-A was robbed on Sunday January 27th 08, while returning home after an outing with his brother in-law who was visiting from the UK. They say the comedian was literally stripped bare by a three-man robbery gang along Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way Ikeja. Thank God he was unharmed.

Bash Ali also robbed
Nigeria's oldest boxer, Bash Ali, was also robbed some weeks backs while coming back from Abuja. He ran into into a gang of robbers operating at the foot of Ikeja bridge and was dispossesed of all he had with him, including all his boxing belts.
God help us in this country.

Top Nigerian Auto dealer beheaded in Saudi Arabia
Babatunde Esho, a popular Lagos socialite who ran BAT Motors, was beheaded in Saudi Arabia weeks back, after he was convicted of smuggling cocaine into the country. According to a magazine in Nigeria, Esho, popularly known as 'Ghana must go' was beheaded in public after being arrested by the Saudi drug bursters who had a dossier on him. His trial and conviction was about the most celebrated drug case ever recorded in the history of Saudi Arabia. Esho was the man who gave a very popular fuji musician his first lexus car. Sad way to go.

Ibinabo delivers baby girl for Fred Amata It's no longer news that ex-beauty queen and actress, Ibinabo Fiberesima, gave birth to a bouncing baby girl on January 28th 08 at a London hospital and they say her still married actor baby daddy, Fred Amata is ecstatic about the baby's arrival, which will him a father for the third time and IB, a mother for the third time too. Ibinabo already had two children before now. Her first son's father is said to be one Osahon, while her second child is as a result of her brief marriage to photographer Philip Trimnell, while her latest baby is by actor Fred Amata. Way to go girl and congrats!!!

Fatai Rolling Dollar gets baby boy at 81
Aged musician, Fatai Rolling Dollar's 41 yr old wife just gave birth to a bouncing baby boy on January 22nd 08. The proud father now 81, mounted the stage with his band on the day of christening, thrilling all those that attended. The little boy has since been named Mojeed.

Jay Jay Okocha invests millions on liquor business Ex-Super Eagles captain, Austin Okocha, is now one of the leading liquor merchants in Nigeria, as he now deals in expensive wines and alcoholic beverages. The former captain of Bolton Wanderers is said to have spent over N250mil to put the business, which is operating as JJ Okocha Group West Africa Limited, with an office on Saka Tinubu, V/Island, together. They say the footballer owns a top of range wine production company in Paris, France.

That's all for today. Hopefully this will fetch me like 200 comments! lol

Cheers.

Wednesday 6 February 2008

Ash Wednesday

If you're Catholic and do not know today is Ash Wednesday...well now you know.

For those who don't know what Ash Wednesday is...
...It is the first day of Lent and occurs forty days before Easter (excluding Sundays). It falls on a different date each year, because it is dependent on the date of Easter; it can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.

So don't forget to go to church to get your ash...for those who believe in it.

Meanwhile I'd like to apologise to those sending me facebook messages...as soon as I am more settled I will reply your mails. I'm doing so much right now that I only have time to blog. So I will definitely reply your messages, comments and requests when I can.

I'm definitely bringing you NEN tommorrow.

So do come back and bring a friend along.

Ciao!

Tuesday 5 February 2008

Question + CNN Multichoice African Journalist Award 2008

Question!
The fastest way to a man's heart is through his stomach...

Who agrees?

Who disagrees?

CNN Multichoice African Journalist Award 2008
CNN International and MultiChoice this week officially launched the CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008 Awards. The event returns to Ghana where it was founded in 1995. The winners of this prestigious annual Award will be announced at a gala ceremony to be held in Accra in July, 2008.


Shola Oshunkeye (TELL's former senior associate editor)
African Journalist of the year 2006.

Finalists in the 2008 competition will participate in a four day finalists' programme that will include workshops, a media forum, networking opportunities with senior journalists, editors, business leaders and media owners from across the continent, culminating in a gala awards ceremony in July, 2008. Each category winner receives a substantial cash prize plus laptop, with modem and printer. The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008 will receive an additional cash prize and a trip to CNN Center in Atlanta.


Richard M. Kavumasenior staff writer on the Weekly Observer newspaper in Kampala, Uganda
African Journalist of the year 2007

This year, the competition will recognise excellence in the following categories:
1. Tourism Award
2. Arts and Culture Award sponsored by Celtel
3. Economics & Business Award sponsored by Coca-Cola Africa
4. Environment Award sponsored by Ecobank
5. Free Press Africa Award
6. MSD Health & Medical Award
7. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Award for Excellence in HIV/AIDS Reporting in Africa
8. MIH Print Africa Award - Best Feature in a Consumer Magazine
9. Mohamed Amin Photographic Award presented by Camerapix
10. Print General News Award sponsored by Safebond Africa Ltd.
11. Radio General News Award
12. Sport Award sponsored by Global Media Alliance
13. Television - General News - Feature/Current Affairs Award sponsored by IPP Media Tanzania
14. Television - General News - News Bulletin Award
15. Francophone General News Award (Print and TV/Radio);
16. Francophone MIH Print Africa Award - Best Feature in a Consumer Magazine
17. Portuguese Language General News Award

From these category winners, the judges choose the overall winner: The CNN MultiChoice African Journalist 2008.
The competition is open to African professional journalists including freelancers across print, television, internet, photographic and radio. Full details on how to enter can be found by logging on at www.cnn.com/africanawards.
The closing date for entries is 15th February, 2008 and the judging will take place in May.
If you know any journalist that deserves to be nominated, please do send in their names.
I don't think bloggers are included...so please let's respect ourselves...lol
Later!!!

Monday 4 February 2008

News around the world

Let me start this random news with unconfirmed reports that our very own Romeo Tuface Idibia was once again attacked by armed robbers and had his Range Rover stolen from him at gun point sometime last week. Like I said, this is unconfirmed for now but as soon as I get the real scoop, I'll let y'all know.

Meanwhile, the lady below left her 8 children to come marry a Naija man...read her story



A woman accused of leaving eight children with little food and no money while she traveled to Africa to marry a man she met on the Internet has been arrested. Shanell Monique Mosley, 33, was met by authorities as she got off an Air France jet Monday at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and charged with child endangerment and child abandonment for leaving the children in squalid conditions
When she left for Nigeria on December 31, Mosley told her 15 year-old daughter she would return in a month. Mosley’s children are ages 1, 7, 8, 9, 15 and 16, Jordan said. The other two children found in the home were 3 and 4 year-olds the family cared for on behalf of a single father who worked, Jordan said.
The 9 year-old son told authorities he and the baby ate a still-frozen pizza for breakfast the morning they were discovered home alone. There were no diapers, baby food or formula for the infant, no sheets on beds and fruit was rotting in a basket.


Michael Jackson's kids

The presidential candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) General Muhammadu Buhari has alleged that there was no election in 29 states and that results were arbitrarily assigned by INEC officials in collaboration with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in last year’s presidential polls

Maria Shriver -- wife of California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and a member of the powerful Kennedy political clan -- on Sunday endorsed Barack Obama for US president, just days after her former-actor husband backed Republican John McCain.


President Boris Tadic wins Serbia's run-off presidential poll, beating challenger Tomislav Nikolic.

Former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has instituted a N500 million suit against a columnist, Abdul Rasaque Bello-Barkindo, Leaders & Company Limited, publishers of THISDAY newspapers for alleged defamation. The suit was instituted on behalf of the plaintiff at the Abia State High Court sitting at Igbere division


Chadian rebels are pushed back from the capital N'Djamena, which they had seized over the weekend.
The Federal Government has set up a technical committee to negotiate a new salary scale for doctors with the Nigerian Medical Association.The move followed the decision of the NMA to call off their last Friday’s strike. The committee, which is headed by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Ambassador Baba Ahmed, has till February 29, 2008 to submit its report.


Barrels containing about 2.5 tonnes of cocaine have been seized from a ship off the coast of Liberia. It is the single largest drug seizure in the country's history, according to maritime officials. The ship, the Blue Atlantic, was spotted on the high seas on Thursday by a French military vessel, which intercepted and towed it to the port.

The U.S. military said Monday that it accidentally killed nine Iraqi civilians during an operation targeting al-Qaida in Iraq south of Baghdad.The civilians were killed Saturday near Iskandariyah, 30 miles south of the Iraqi capital, U.S. Navy Lt. Patrick Evans told The Associated Press. Three more civilians were wounded and taken to U.S. military hospitals nearby, he said.


Wesley Snipes was acquitted of federal tax fraud but was convicted on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return.charges today.

Lagos State is set to wear a new look as the state government weekend, in a landmark move, awarded contracts for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of 31 major roads.


Friends of the Browning family mourn Sunday, Feb. 3, 2008, outside a Cockeysville, Md., home where John and Tamara Browning, and their sons Gregory, 13, and Benjamin, 11, were found dead Saturday. Baltimore County police arrested Nicholas Waggoner Browning, 15, and charged him with four counts of first degree murder in the deaths of his family.
Read full story here http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=4236530

SAG Awards Red Carpet + News

Brad and Angie

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama opened narrow leads on Hillary Clinton in California and Missouri one day before crucial "Super Tuesday" nominating contests in 24 states,


Michelle Pfeiffer

Britney Spears, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder got her stay in a psychiatric ward extended Sunday, as doctors decided to keep her hospitalized an additional 14 days.
By VOA News Kenya's opposition leader Raila Odinga on Sunday called for the deployment of international peacekeepers to help contain the violence in the country.



Ciara has done a version of Janet's Feedback, turning the song into a duet with Miz Jackson.
Research and teaching equipment may gulp N1.9bn in this year’s federal budget, even as investigations reveal that funding for education and health is still low in spite of President Umaru Yar’Adua’s pledge to transform the two sectors. The N1.9bn allocation for research and equipment in federal universities is N326m higher than the N1.6bn allocated in 2007 budget.



Marcia Cross

Potuguese footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's most expensive player. He just signed a deal to renew his contract with Manchester United for$88 MILLION! For the next six years


Ellen Pompeo

Crocodiles have killed three people and injured two others near the central Mozambique town of Chemba, according to news reports.
The victims are said to have been attacked while bathing in the flooded Zambezi river.


Eva Longoria

Three naval ratings were on Saturday night killed by militants who attacked a houseboat stationed at the Shell Petroleum Development Company‘s Tora Manifold in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. Some of the militants, naval personnel and officials of the SPDC were also injured in the attack which occured shortly before it was learnt that members of the House of Representatives from the South-South would this week meet in Bayelsa State over the crisis in the Niger Delta.


Cate Blanchett

Barring any last-minute change, the Federal Government is set to name Brig. Gen. Oluwole Rotimi (rtd), former military governor of the old Western State, as Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States



Also, the annual Polo Tournament is currently going on at the Lagos Polo Club. It started on Saturday February 2nd and will end next week Sunday. Be there!

Ok, that's all the news I have for now...

We'll see what tomorrow will bring.

Keep a positive spirit always!

Friday 1 February 2008

Happy new month

From today till the end of time, God will fill your heart with joy.
Your mind with wisdom.
Your mouth with laughter.
Your ears with good news.
And your eyes with clearer vision

Happy new month!!!

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