Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: 03/09/2008 - 03/16/2008

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Saturday 15 March 2008

Fun Weekend

A Master Card Wedding
This is a true story about a recent wedding that took place at Clemson University . It was in the local newspaper and even Jay Leno mentioned it. It was a huge wedding with about 300 guests. After the wedding, at the reception, the groom got up on stage with a microphone to talk to the crowd. He said he wanted to thank everyone for coming, many from long distances, to support them at their wedding. He especially wanted to thank the bride's and his family and to thank his new father-in-law for providing such a lavish reception. As a token of his deep appreciation he said he wanted to give everyone a special gift just from him. So taped to the bottom of everyone's chair, including the wedding party was an envelope.
He said this was his gift to everyone, and asked them to open their envelope. Inside each manila envelope was an 8x10 glossy of his bride having sex with the best man. The groom had gotten suspicious of them weeks earlier and had hired a private detective to tail them. After just standing there, just watching the guests' reactions for a couple of minutes, he turned to the best man and said, 'F---you!' Then he turned to his bride and said, 'F--- you!' Then he turned to the dumbfounded crowd and said, 'I'm outta here.'He had the marriage annulled first thing in the morning.
While most people would have canceled the wedding immediately after finding out about the affair, this guy goes through with the charade, as if nothing were wrong. His revenge making the bride's parents pay over $32,000 for a 300-guest wedding and reception, and best of all, trashing the bride's and best man's reputations in front of 300 friends and family members.


This guy has balls the size of church bells.Do you think we might get a MasterCard 'priceless' commercial out of this?Elegant wedding reception for 300 family members and friends: $32,000.Wedding photographs commemorating the Occasion: $3,000Deluxe two-week honeymoon accommodations in Maui : $8,500.The look on everyone's face when they see the 8x10 glossy of the bride humping the best man: Priceless.There are some things money can't buy, for everything else there's MASTERCARD A Mastercard Wedding 'Life isn't like a bowl of cherries or peaches, it's more like a jar of Jalapenos--what you do today, might burn your ass tomorrow......'

Funny faces of 2008 presidential candidates




Worlds Most Expensive Wine
Most Expensive Lot Of Burgandy
Romanée-Conti, DRC 1990
- Six (6) Magnums of this fine wine sold for $69,600, or $5,800 a bottle

Most Expensive Single Bottle of Red Burgandy
Methuselah's of Romanée-Conti, DRC 1985
- Set of seven of these bottles sold in 1996 at Sotheby's London.

Most Expensive American Wine
Screaming Eagle 1994
- Three bottles of this wine sold in 2000 at Christie's auction for $11,500 or $3,833 a bottle.


Most Expensive Bottle of Wine Ever Broken
Chateau Margaux 1787
- During a dinner, this bottle of wine was knocked over by a waiter before it was opened. Fortunately for the owner it was insured and the insurance company paid out $225,000

Most Expensive Regular Sized Bottle
Chateau Lafite 1787
- sold at Christie's London in 1985 for $160,000. This wine bottle was purchased for a private collection and prominently features the initials of Thomas Jefferson etched into the glass. This practice was not unusual in the 18th century when large purchases were made directly from the Chateau.

Most Expensive Fortified Wine
A Jeroboam (5 liters) Chateau Mouton-Rothschild 1945
- Wine enthusiasts consider this selection to be one of the finest of the great vintages of the 20th century. It sold at Christie's London for $114,614.00 in 1997. Of the 20th century, 1945 is considered to be one of the exceptional vintage years. The buyer of this wine remains anonymous.

Most Expensive Lot of Wine Sold At Auction
1775 Sherry from Massandra Collection
- This classic wine sold at Sotheby's London for $43,500 in 2002. The Massandra winery is located 4 kilometers from Yalta and it is frequently honored as the finest in Russia. The winery's cellar contains well over a million bottles of both Russian (with the Imperial seal), and Western European wines. The oldest in their collection was the Sherry.


Most Expensive White Wine
Chateau d'Yquem 1784
- A bottle of this wine sold for $56,588.00 in 1986 at Christie's London. As with the Chateau Lafite 1787, this bottle of wine also has the initials of Thomas Jefferson in it.

Starcomms 'N' Colossal Ent. All Stars Revolution
On Sun 09 Mar 2008 15:49 WAT. Pictures courtesy purefoto.com


Banky W

9ice





News

Halle Berry on her relationship with the father of her unborn child:
“I’ll never marry again. I have a good healthy love for myself and love in my life. I no longer feel the need to be someone’s wife and I don’t need to validation of a marriage certificate. Gabriel’s a wonderful person and I’m just happy I’ve found someone really special to have a baby with. In a way I feel more married than I ever felt in two marriages. Gabriel and I have decided to redefine marriage for ourselves.”

Popular music sensation, Abolore Adegbola Akande, better known as 9ice is currently enjoying the success of his single, entitled: Gongo Aso.The wave making hit is the most popular song on radio today in Nigeria. If you want to read his full interview, check it here...http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,338090,00.html

Ashley Dupre
The day after federal prosecutors pulled the covers off the high-priced prostitution ring that would soon bring down Gov. Eliot Spitzer, the call girl at the center of the scandal told her father she was in a little trouble, he said.Story here...http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,338090,00.html


Shannon Matthews, the schoolgirl who disappeared more than three weeks ago, was found alive today in a flat about a mile from her home in West Yorkshire. Read full story here...http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/mar/14/1?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront


Snoop Dogg speaks on the perception of women in Hip-Hop:
I seen that sh*t! Bullsh*t! The woman is perceived the way…she is perceived. It is what it is, man. You gotta look at what hip-hop is. Hip-hop is not the stories. It’s not a soap opera. Hip-hop is not ‘The View.’ It’s not…’The Oprah Winfrey Show.’ Hip-hop is what it is. We have our certain views on women the way we do. It’s like Playboy. Do anybody got something to say about the way Playboy view women? They take their shirt off and show their t**ties. That’s the first way to get into Playboy. You gotta show Hugh Heffner your t**ties if you wanna get in Playboy. There’s nothing degrading about that, but at the same time, when we show women in videos, they have their clothes on. We don’t play videos on BET with women naked; we can’t get away with that. But it’s degrading what we’re doing, when in actuality, we’re giving these women a chance to shine. Now, if these women would become directors and depict women in a different light, then that would give them a different light as far as the way people view them. A male director is gonna direct it the way he feels. He’s gonna make it the way a woman looks sexy.
Look at this for example. How many ugly women selling records? None! Only the pretty ones sell records. Beyonce, Mary J, Keyshia Cole, the ugly ones don’t sell. I ain’t gon say no names, but they don’t sell records. They just be singing their little hearts out, but they don’t get no sales, cause they ugly. Now, that’s my fault? I can see this on TV now: ‘Snoop Dogg called me, ugly.’ You beautiful on the inside, baby. What I wanna say to go on top of that, to the chocolate women, the dark-skinned women, I love ya’ll. I got a chocolate daughter at home. I always tell her chocolate is the best thing in the world. Don’t think that light skin is in, chocolate ain’t never went nowhere. Black is beautiful. I love dark-skinned women. That’s why my videos be having dark women in them. I always used to have light-skinned women. Look at it. Show them one of my videos.

Aretha Franklin might lose her house:
An attorney’s mistake caused Aretha Franklin’s $700,000 mansion in Detroit to slip into foreclosure over $445 in 2005 taxes and late fees. But Aretha Franklin, who owes a total of $19,192 in back taxes on the property through 2007, said she plans to pay up and reclaim it by the March 31 deadline.
“It was a mere oversight on my attorney’s part to notify me. It will be taken care of immediately and thank you for making me aware of it.”
Franklin risked losing a 1927 Detroit mansion to tax collectors over $162 in 2005 taxes and $283 in interest and fees. The foreclosure judgment was entered earlier this month, and records show Franklin owes $18,746 in back taxes and fees for the 2006 and 2007 tax years, but foreclosure proceedings on those debts wouldn’t begin until next year.

World's richest women
1. Liliane Bettencourt
At the grand age of 83, Ms Bettencourt is the wealthiest woman in the world and the richest in France according to Forbes, sitting at 15th richest overall. She inherited her $16 billion (£8.4 billion) fortune through her family's firm, L'Oreal. She is the daughter of L'Oreal founder Eugene Schueller and retains a controlling stake in the cosmetics giant so is likely to get richer still. Because she's worth it.
2. Christy Walton
Christy, 51, is the widow of John Walton, the Wal-Mart heir who died when his ultralight aircraft crashed in June 2005. She and her son Luke inherited $15.9 billion (£8.4 billion) from the company originally founded by Sam Walton, who opened his first store in 1962 and took it public in 1970. Wal-Mart is still the world's largest retailer with more than 5,100 stores serving 138 million customers a week and ringing up sales of $285 billion (£151 billion). All of which makes Christy the 17th richest person in the world.
3. Alice Walton
As you would expect with the Waltons, family ties run deep. Alice, 56, is the sister of the late John Walton and her fortune of $15.7 billion (£8.3 billion) puts her at number 20 in the world's rich list. Brother Rob serves as chairman and the company donates a small fortune to charity via the Walton Family Foundation.
4. Helen Walton
The third Walton to feature here, 86-year-old Alice is the mother of John Walton and the widow of Sam. Her $15.6 billion (£8.2 billion) fortune makes her the 24th richest person in the world.
5. Abigail Johnson
The 28th richest person in the world, Abigail's $12.5 billion (£6.6 billion) - and growing - inheritance comes from Fidelity Investments, America's largest mutual fund company. The firm was founded by her grandfather in 1946. Abby, 44, interned at Fidelity while pursuing a Harvard MBA and returned full-time in1988. She became president of the company's mutual fund division in 2001, dodged the taint of corruption during a scandal in 2003 and picked up $31 billion (£16.4 billion) in fund assets during her first six months as competitors withered. In May 2006 she took over Fidelity’s employer services division, administering payroll and employee stock plans. Busy girl.
6. and 7. Barbara Cox Anthony and Anne Cox Chambers
Barbara, 82, and Anne, 86, inherited $12.4 billion (£6.6 billion) each from the family's media firm Cox Enterprises. Dad James Cox's empire includes 17 newspapers, 15 TV stations, 79 radio stations and also cable systems. As if that wasn't enough, the business also runs to cars, including Manheim Auctions, America’s leading used-car auction business and majority ownership of AutoTrader.com, the world's largest online auto classifieds site. Last year the family took cable arm Cox Communications private in an $8 billion (£4.2 billion) deal. They are the world's 28th richest people.
8. Jacqueline Mars
9. Susanne Klatten
More inherited money in ninth place as Ms Klatten, 43, scooped up $8.1 billion (£4.3 billion) via a 12.5% stake in BMW cars and a 50% stake in pharmaceutical manufacturer Altana from her late father, Herbert Quandt. A trained economist with an MBA, Klatten is credited with helping transform Altana into a world-class pharmaceutical/chemical corporation with $3.6 billion (£1.9 billion) in sales and almost 11,000 employees.
10. Cristina Green
Mrs Green may derive some of her wealth from husband Philip's retail empire, Arcadia, but I bet she's earned it. And as the only Brit in the top 10 richest women and the only one with self-made cash, she deserves our applause. Their $7 billion (£3.7 billion) fortune makes the Greens the 74 richest people in the world and they like to protect their cash from the taxman by living in Monaco. Arcadia Group is Britain's third-largest clothing retail group and includes high street favourites Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge. Green also owns 94% of BHS, the country's 10th-largest clothing retail chain. Together, the companies have sales of $4.7 billion (£2.5 billion).

Hope you're having a fab weekend?

Wednesday 12 March 2008

Personality: Chinedu Echeruo + America's first family?

Personality: Chinedu Echeruo
The Dec 2007 issue of BlackEnterprise Magazine listed 40 most successful enterpreneurs in the US under 40 years and somewhere I saw this guy's name; Chinedu Echeruo. I love reading about young achievers, nothing inspires me more, so I went looking for more info on him.

I present to you Nigerian-born, US-based Enterpreneur, who has captured the attention of the American corporate world. Chinedu Echeruo.


Echeruo, 33, founded HopStop.com, a Web-based city transit guide that provides point-to-point directions by subway and bus to get to any location in New York City; Boston; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco; and, most recently, Chicago. Echeruo plans to expand HopStop to 14 more cities in the U.S. and abroad over the next year.
“I started thinking about the problem of getting from point A to point B — and how I could leverage technology to solve it,” says Echeruo, a Nigerian-born entrepreneur who has been involved with several Internet startups. “Whether I could make it into a viable business was another question.” Echeruo, who has an M.B.A. from Harvard and experience as a financial analyst, launched a basic version of HopStop in 2004. Today, the site serves 500,000 customers each month and is expected to generate about $3 million in revenues by the end of 2006.
Read his full biography here...http://blackherald.egoong.com/?p=124. You can read more here...http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/technology/01hop.html. And check out his website here...http://hopstop.com/

His profile
Co-founder at Tripology.com
Founder at HopStop.com
Analyst at AM Investment Partners
Analyst at J.P. Morgan and Co.
It is at times like this that I am so proud to be Nigerian. Kudos to him!
America's First Family?
For those of us following the US elections diligently, what a race right? This particular race has being called the most diverse political field ever. There's a woman and a black man who are serious contenders for the first time in the US election. I love Obama and I hope he wins but I'm a little skeptical about him winning, not because I don't think he'll make a good president, oh, I think he will be fantastic, I love his policies, but has America reached a turning point? When push comes to shove, will they really vote for a black president? What are the chances of America voting a man whose father is Kenyan?
Obama with his family
Is this America's first family? Will pictures like this work in his favour or against him? Or have Americans reached a point where they really don't care about the colour of a man's skin or his lineage? Will Americans vote Obama as their next president? What do you guys think?

Tuesday 11 March 2008

Aliko Dangote on Forbes list + Naija Entertainment News

Aliko Dangote on Forbes list

Mogul of manufacturing, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has gotten his confirmation as Nigeria's wealthiest man as he debuted at number 334 on Forbes Richest list last week. Ranked with a net worth of $3.3 billion, the 51 year old Kano born industralist with his hands in cement, flour, sugar, salt, spaghetti, oil, property etc made his first debut.

25 worlds richest
1, Warren Buffet...62.0
2. Carlos Slim Helu & family...60.0
3. William Gates...58.0
4. Lakshmi Mittal...45.0
5. Mukesh Ambani...43.0
6. Anil Ambani...42.0
7. Ingvar Kamprad & famil...31.0
8. KP Singh...30.0
9. Oleg Deripaska...28.0
10. Karl Albrecht...27.0
11. Li Ka-Shing...26.5
12. Sheldon Adelson...26.0
13. Bernard Arnault...25.5
14. Lawrence Ellison...25.0
15. Roman Abramovich...23.5 (Up blue...lol)
16. Theo Albrecht...23.0
17. Liliane Bettencourt...22.9
18. Alexei Mordashov...21.2
19. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud...21.0
20. Mikhail Fridman...20.8
21. Vladimir Lisin...20.
22. Amancio Ortega...20.2
23. Raymond, Thomas and Walter Kwok...19.9
24. Mikhail Prokhorov...19.5
25. Vladimir Potanin...19.3

Africans on the list
60. Naguib Sawaris (Egyptian)...12.7
68. Nussef Sawaris (Egyptian)...11
96. Onsi Sawaris (Egyptian)...9.1
173. Nicky Oppenheimer (South African)...5.7
284. John Rupert (South African)...3.8
334. Aliko Dangote (Nigerian)...3.3

So he finally made his first debut on the Forbes list, but there are those who think Dangote was underestimated. According to Forbes, Dangote's source of wealth was described as 'inherited and growing' and their ranking method only deals with publicly quoted companies. Dangote's many companies were not included. Those who know maintain that Dangote is worth at least $16billion. That is Obajana Cement Factory alone is worth over $9billion.
Hmmmm....what do you think?

Naija Entertainmet news.
Jeans for Genes sickle cell project.
It's a Fashion Exhibition that will hold on SAT, Mar 29th, at SWE BAR, 12pm. It is a fundraiser organised by the sickle-cell project, to create more awareness on sickle-cell. Packaged by Zapphaire PR, the event is proudly supported by Chocolate City, X3M Music, Victoria Ola Adigun, Bunmi Adedipe, Swe Bar and Capital Hill.
Particpants include- Beampeh- Pablo- Byge- My Qfeaturing- Ties by OUCH!- Labelles Touch- Ayana. There will be spoken word, music and poetry from artistes including- Africa's most anticipated Hip-Hop Artiste, M.I!- Jesse Jags- Bez Idakula- Spoken Word maestro, SAGE- Underground rap sensation, KEL- Naija's Rock Guru- ETCETERA,- Drenco- Special appearance by 2Shotz- Chiedu Ifeozo- CON.tra.diction.
Tell a friend and if u have any questions or need an invite, then please send a message to TOSYN BUCKNOR, or call / text 08023066252.

Kingsley Ogoro buys 35mm celluloid camera
Movie producer, Kingsley Ogoro, has acquired a 35mm celluloid camera. This is the same camera that has taken many Nigerian artistes to South Africa to shoot their videos. The camera set the movie producer back by N6million.
Hear him "I would have purchased the camera before this time but I was taking my time. And since I don't like joining the bandwagon, I always prefer to do my thing the way the spirit directs. Though the camera is very expensive, I believe it's a great plus for the Nigerian entertainment industry."
35mm is cuurntly one of the most advanced cameras in the world.

Chinenye Ochuba set to wed Beautiful ex-most beautiful girl in Nigeria (2002), Chinenye Ochuba, is set to wed. Come August/September 2008, she will wed Kunle Akinlade, the MD of Cleveland Investment, an asset management firm, in a traditional and white wedding. The introduction ceremony already held in her parents residence on Sat. Feb. 16th 2008. Chinenye who is presently a final year accounting and finance major at Greenwich University UK, is planning to relocate to Nigeria as soon as she is done with her studies, because this is where her husband to be lives.

Hip Hop World Awards 2008
Date: Saturday, March 15th, 2008
Venue: Planet One Maryland, Lagos
Time: 4:00pm
Supported by HipTV, MTN, Nigezie, MTV Base, Nigezie, AIT, STV, and Virgin NigeriaIt will shown live on STV and AIT Network, 6-8pm March 15th.

NTA's Mariam Anazodo delivers twins
Mariam was recently delivered of a set of twins in a London hospital on Friday Feb. 29th 2008. Mariam tied the knot with her TV/Radio/Sports presenter husband, Charles Anazodo in 2003. Five years later, they finally get not just one, but two bouncing babies. God is good!

Ben Bruce buys N25M Limo Jeep (Truck)
Well, they are reporting that Ben just acquired a brown suburban Limousine Jeep which sells for a princely N25m.

Prince Sunny Ade
King Sunny Ade's son Prince Sunny Ade, who has just relocated to Nigeria after many years in the US has finally taken music as his career. His debut album, 'Thank You' is a combination of hip hop, fuji and juju. The album will be released on Javel Music Company soon.

2face abandons festac home
Do you blame him? They say he has abandoned his Festac home for a hotel, Comfort Suites, also in Festac. With all the recent attacks, do you blame him?

Ade Bendel and Friends

Since getting out of prison (he was there for four years and was released in Dec 2007), the former 419 kingpin, Ade Bendel, is a reformed man. He says he regrets his past life
Hear him "The new Ade Bendel is a changed man who has discarded everything about his former fraudulent life and given his life to Christ. I've embraced the lord and he is now my best friend. I intend to reach out to the youth through my foundation, Yinox"
His show
Ade Bendel and friends @ turning point
Featuring, D Banj, Segun Arinze, Basket Mouth, Sammie Okposo, (ice, RMD, Kefee, Moke Aremu and so many others.
Date: Easter Monday, March 24th
Venue: Eleko Beach
Time: 10 am-6pm
Free transportation and free launch for everyone
For information and enquiries: 07034110044, 07025021277.

Vagina Monologues resumes

Vagina Monologues is back. This time with a new cast, but the same gender sensitive issue is the centre of discourse. Directed by Wole Oguntokun. It's parading the likes of Kate Henshaw Nuttal, Stella Damasus, Yinka Davies, Funmi Iyanda, Bimbo Akintola etc. And having been shown in Abuja, it is returning to Lagos, March 12th, 13th and 20th at the Agip Hall, Muson Center, National Theatre, and Terra Culture respectively.

Funmi Interviews Madeleine Albright

Our own Funmi Iyanda and Madeleine Albright, the former United States Secretary of State. Read the full interview here...http://fiyanda.blogspot.com/search?q=Funmi%E2%80%99s+interview+with+Madeleine+Albright+

UBA/AMAA 2008

African Movie and Academy Awards (AMAA) is sure branding and winning the recognition of corporate Nigeria. The AMAA Awards, officially tagged the Galaxy of African Stars now has a three year title sponsorship deal with United bank for Africa. AMAA is returnung to Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, starting with a pre-award party in Lagos on March 24th 2008. The Award proper holds on April 6th 2008.

Ndidi Azubuike is pregnant!

I saw the heavily pregnant model in a magazine. For those who don't know, Ndidi was one of the hot models in Nigeria before relocating to New York City in 2005 to pursue her modeling career. She won the first Silverbird female model of the year in 2003. So happy for her!

Ok, I'm done...got to get back to work. Hope y'all appreciate it
See you soon. Mwah

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