Welcome to Linda Ikeji's Blog: 02/24/2008 - 03/02/2008

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Saturday 1 March 2008

Happy new month + Body of missing Guinean super model found + US Presidential Jokes

This is the beginning of a new month and this is my prayer for you.

May the month of March be a month of blessings...
Blessings of goodness.
Blessings of joy.
Blessings of peace.
Blessings of kindness.
Blessings of friendship.
Blessings of love.
Blessings of creativity.
Blessings of strength.
Blessings of serenity.
Blessings of fulfillment.
Blessings of dignity.
Blessings of satisfaction.
Blessings of success.
Blessings of sustenance.
Blessings of physical health and radiance.

May your enemies never touch you.
May they never find you.
May they forget your name.
May everything they wish for you go back to them.
If they wish you evil, may evil follow them.
If they wish you failure...may God shame them with your success story
May God break any stronghold they're trying to erect in your life.
May you defeat them and every evil force that tries to enter your mind and life
May they not succeed in leading you through the wrong path
But above all, may God never forsake you...in Jesus Name...AMEN!

Body of missing Guinean super model found

Katoucha Niane, the "Black Princess"Paris police yesterday, found a body in the River Seine suspected to be the missing Guinean super model Katoucha Niane, the former beloved muse of fashion legend Yves Saint Laurent. The 47-year-old Katoucha Niane, known as the "Black Princess" had been missing from her home on a central stretch of the river on the night of February 1.

Fashion model model Katoucha Niane, from Guinea, embraces French couturier Yves Saint Laurent at the end of his show for the 1989 Fall ready-to-wear fashion show in Paris, in this March 22, 1989 file photo. Katoucha was found dead in the Seine River Feb. 28, 2008 in Paris. Katoucha, who lived on a barge, was missing since Jan. 31, 2008.

The police said, the mother-of-three disappeared after being dropped off from a party and her handbag was later recovered near her houseboat.

Life!

Moving on from the sad news...some jokes for those of you following the US presidential election. Enjoy!

The US Presidential Jokes









God bless you all abundantly. See y'all later!

Thursday 28 February 2008

Forgiveness

When I wrote that comedian Tee A called me a 'club girl', in my 'The person in the mirror' post (oops I did it again...lol) a few people thought mentioning his name was uncalled for and the only reason I could have done that was because I still carried a grudge. That made me really look deep inside...asking myself if the reason I mentioned his name and remembered the incident was because I was still bitter about it.
Sincerely? Absoultely not! I carry no grudge.
"To carry a grudge is like being stung to death by one bee"

I'm somewhat confrontational...if you say something about me, or do something I don't like...I will probably confront you...and after that, it's over. I remember talking it over with Tee A and moving past it. I mentioned it because I wanted to sight an example and the incident with him stood out...
"What is forgiven is usually well remembered".

But I'm glad a few of you brought it up 'cos it brings me to what I want to talk about today...FORGIVENESS!

A few weeks ago, a friend who lives abroad called me on the phone to tell me her 8 year old marriage was over. She told me she found out her husband had a serious relationship with another woman. Serious as in...rented a flat for her, bought her a car, spends some days in her house when he had to 'travel' and so many other things...

After finding out, she 'threatened' to leave with their three kids if he didn't clean up his act. Two days after the threat, like he was waiting for a cue... he moved out of their home. A week later she found out he had moved in with his mistress, five weeks later, he filed for divorce.

I was very depressed when she was telling me the story. I could almost feel her pain and anguish through the phone. Then in the midst of tears and wailing...she started saying "I wish him death Linda. I wish him death. Oh God please make him die, that's the only way I can be normal again...he's ruined my life. Someone pls kill him. Pls die...I wish him death, I wish him death, I wish him death". She said 'I wish him death' more times than I could count and it was at that point that I also started crying.

I wasn't crying because her marriage was over...I was crying because she carried a hatred so deep, so raw, so sated, that it will probably destroy her! Her hatred for her husband had taken her to a point of no return..and for a fleeting moment I was scared for her and her children. Her? Because she sounded like her life was over and she just might want to end it. Her children? Because sometimes when we want vengeance and can't touch the one who hurt us, we turn to the next best thing...what they love...in this case...his children!

I have another friend who hates men. When I say hate...I mean Hate with a capital H. Why? She's 30 years old with an 11 year old daughter and a five year old son, from two different men who promised her the world and gave her nothing. Whenever I talk about men, love, sex etc, she tries her damnest to talk me out of falling in love or letting any man touch me or ever getting married. To her all men are evil and she's vowed never to have anything to do with another one for the rest of her life. The sad part is...she's only 30!

Forgiveness
...easy to write, easy to spell, easy to pronounce, even easy to say but one of the hardest things to do. Forgiveness is something some of us are incapable of...giving up resentment, anger and a sense of betrayal is almost impossible for some of us...mostly because we think we are entitled to it.

I'm not perfect...oh I'm far from it! There are things I do that I'm not proud of...but if there's one thing I know how to do and do well...it's to forgive! If you apologise to me, I don't care how deep, how damaging or how much I was hurt...I let it go.

About my married friend, I'm sure there a few other married women out there who might understand a little of where she's coming from...the hatred she feels for a man she once loved and who betrayed her. I have been let down...but nothing so deep that I would wish anyone dead, so maybe I don't understand that pain. Do you understand it? Have you been there? Still there?

All of us, at some point in our lives, have been hurt and wounded by the actions or words of someone else. Sometimes the hurt is so great, the thought of forgiving never crosses our minds.

How do you forgive someone who's hurt you so deeply? How do you let go when you're consumed with a hatred that you can't even control. How do you shut your eyes at night and not feel that resentment, that bitterness, that anger towards someone for something they did to you knowingly or unknowingly.

There are those of us who need to forgive what was done to us...like my married friend.
There are some of us who need to seek forgiveness for something we did to someone else.
And there some of us who need to forgive ourselves for something we did to others or to ourselves...like my other friend with two kids.
I remember telling her never to go about waiting for someone to apologise to her or blame anyone for where she is today. She made a choice to have unprotected sex, she made a choice to keep the pregnancy and made another choice a few years later to keep another pregnancy. If she needs an apology...then the apology needs to come from her. She made the decision, she made the choice and the only thing she can do is...forgive herself for her faults and mistakes and move on.

There are some of us who go about waiting for people to come ask for forgiveness for something they did to us. I mean it would be great if they would come to us but you must accept the fact that some people will never do that. Some of them don't think they did you wrong, they dont need to be forgiven and they will never come to you...They did what they did...and that's that!
It's not easy to forgive...oh trust me I know. There are a million and one reasons not to forgive...and a million and two reasons to forgive.

Refusing to forgive is like drinking poison and expecting the one who hurt you, to die.
Refusing to forgive is giving that someone who hurt you control over your life.
Refusing to forgive is letting anger, resentment, sadness, fear, disgust, aggression, contempt, depression, confusion, disappointment etc into your life.
Refusing to forgive is denying yourself of a beautiful gift...peace of mind!
Refusing to forgive can make your own life miserable.
Refusing to forgive is to choose to continue to remain the victim
Refusing to forgive is being at war with yourself
Refusing to forgive is binding yourself to that person for as long as you're bitter
Refusing to forgive is telling that person they OWN your life

When you forgive what has been done to you...This is what happens...
Your hurt, your pain, your anguish...is NOT the final word on the matter.
When you forgive it helps you give up your destructive thoughts about the situation and the person who hurt you.
When you forgive, you dissolve every link and be free of the person.
When you forgive, you change from a prisoner and become a free person at peace with yourself.
Besides forgiveness is the sweetest revenge. It makes you the bigger, better person.

Forgiving someone for something they did to you doesnt mean that you have to condone or excuse the offence. Like if were cheated on...you can forgive them...but it doesn't mean that you have to reconcile with that person. You can say I have forgiven you but I don't want you in my life, I don't want you in mine, I hope our paths never cross...and I wish you all the best in life.

I know this things are easier said than done. How can you forgive someone who called off a wedding two weeks to the date? How do you forgive someone who broke up your marriage? How do you forgive someone who made you loose your job? How do you JUST forgive? The first step is the willingness to forgive. It's not "forgive and forget". How can you forget like nothing ever happened? It's "forgive and go forward,".

You will know the forgiveness process has started when you remember those who hurt you and feel the power to wish them well. And you will know you have forgiven someone when they pass through your mind without you wishing them bad...or dead!

Whats your reward for forgiveness you may wonder? Let me tell you a story!
In 2004, I paid almost half a million naira for a three bedroom flat on Oweh Street, Jibowu, Yaba! About a month later,I found out that the estate agent in charge of the building had absconded not just with my money but with money belonging to eight other people. He had taken money from nine people for the same flat. He basically duped us!

A year and five months later, he was caught by the police. Unfortunately for all of us, he had squandered the money! They grilled him for many weeks and he eventually confessed he had used the money to get a visa to Germany, and made some investments. 7 months after he landed in Germany, he was deported back to Nigeria with only the clothes on his back. All the money gone.

When he couldn't hide anymore, he went home to his parents and that was when he was arrested. They locked him up for almost a year and it always bothered me that there was someone in jail because of something he had done to me. And I remember the police told us that if we droppped the case against the guy, he will released from jail. I decided it was time to forgive and move on...

After almost a month, my dad and I managed to get the other eight victims to sign his release papers. The agent calls me once in a while to say hello...and everytime he calls and says 'Thank you', I feel like I have done something good! And everytime I do something bad, I think of the agent and I feel better! My reward is knowing someone out there will be forever grateful to me...

When you forgive, those forgiven will forever be indebted to you. Isn't that sweet revenge?

After reading this you might say 'I don't care what Linda says...I will never forgive. What was done to me doesn't deserve forgiveness'. But here's something you need to know.
There's nothing so bad that it can't be forgiven. Nothing!
And like someone once told me...you can never know how much you have been forgiven...until you forgive.

I will leave you with the words of Mahatma Gandhi
If one by one we counted people out
For the least sin, it wouldn't take us long
To get so we had no one left to live with.
For to be social is to be forgiving.

See y'all later

Tuesday 26 February 2008

Naija Entertainment News + Jokes

The marriage bug is the air people. A lot of people seem to be getting married these day...
Now I know for sure our very own sweetheart, Tonipayne, is set to wed the newest singing sensation in Nigeria, 9ice.
9ice isn't the only celeb getting married...singer, Nomoreloss is said to be engaged to Rhythm 93.7 presenter, Phoenix.
Azadus is said to be getting ready to wed his pregnant fiancee, Seun.
Rapper, El Dee is engaged to a Dolapo
And all these weddings will take place this year...Congrats to everyone who has found someone. There's nothing more beautiful than that.

At Shan George's album launch.
The actress launched her album at the Niteshift Colisuem on Sunday Februaru 17th 2008 and was attended by the who's who in the entertainment industry.

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde and Dare Art Alade recently added a year

Ali baba's wife
Comedian, Ali Baba's wife, Mary gave birth to a beautiful daughter on Valentines's day and she has since been named Valerie. Congrats to them.

2face postpones tour
2face is presently in Jamaica for the post humous birthday party birthday party of Bob Marley. The unexpected trip affected his scheduled six states musical tour sponsored by MTN billed to commence on Saturday 16th February and end March 8th 2008. 2face is also set to release his 3rd album featuring his duet with R.Kelly.

Timaya shoots 3 videos
Rave of the moment, Timaya, has finally shot 3 videos from his debut album. The three tracks are 'Dem mama', 'True Story', and 'Timaya'. The videos will soon be released for airplay.

Police nab Ini Edo's impersonator
A lady identified as Ada Waller is now in police net for allegedly dropping Ini Edo's name. According to the star actress who has already taken the case to Area F, Nigeria Police, Lagos, the suspet is one of the many girls who drop her name to extort money from men and also bring her to disrepute.

Soundcity plans music video awards
Nigeria's first and foremost lifestyle, music and entertainment TV channel, Soundcity, is set to stage the Soundcity Music Video Awards. The award will take place at the Prestigious Shell Hall of the Muson Centre, Onikan Lagos later in the year.

TOS Benson is dead
Chief TOS Benson is dead. He died at the ripe age of 90, at his home on Wednesday 13th february 13th 2008. He was the first Minister of Information in Nigeria. He was also the husband of Chief Mrs Opral Benson. He will be buried on Friday 29th February. May his soul rest in peace.

Uche Jumbo's stolen car recovered
The Toyota Rav 4 belonging to star actress, Uche Jumbo, which was stolen days back at gun point has been recovered. Some police men in the Lekki area of Lagos saw it where it was abandoned and notified the actress who has since gone to reclaim it. Happy for her!

Weird Mc and Nigga Raw are presently in South Africa to shoot the video of their latest singles on 35mm celuloid camera.














The World Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart"
http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/books/02/19/chinua.achebe/index.html

Thisday Award winners
Banker of the year - Cecilia Ibru
ICT company of the year - Reltel Wireless
Product of the year - Chivita
Most improved bank - Diamond Bank
Corporate socially responsible company - The UBA foundation
Hotel of the year - Grand Hotel
Airline of the year - Arik Air
Transaction of the year - GT Bank
Bank of the year - Zenith
Oil and Gas company of the year - Zenon petroleum
Company of the year - Dangote sugar refinery
Brands of the year - Access bank and Coca Cola
Stock offer of the year - First Bank offer
Young manager of the year - Toyin Subair
CEO of the year - Mr. Jim Ovia
Enterpreneur of the year - Mr. Femi Otedola
Corporate citizens of the year - Jim Ovia, Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga
Insurance company of the year - PHB Insurance


Jokes
Hummer Indeed!
The boss walked into the office one morning not knowing his zipper was down and his fly area wide open. His personal assistant walked up to him and said, 'This morning when you left your house, did you close your garage door?'
The boss told her he knew he'd closed the garage door, and walked into his office puzzled by the question. As he finished his paperwork, he suddenly noticed his fly was open, and zipped it up. He then understood his personal assistant's question about his 'garage door.' He headed out for a cup of coffee and paused by her desk to ask, 'When my garage door was open, did you see my Hummer parked in there? She smiled and said, 'No, I didn't. All I saw was an old mini van with two flat tires.

Life without black people
A very humorous and revealing story is told about a group of white people who were fed up with African Americans, so they joined together and wished themselves away. They passed through a deep dark tunnel and emerged in sort of a twilight zone where there is an America without black people. At first these white people breathed a sigh of relief. "At last", they said, "no more crime, drugs, violence and welfare." All of the blacks have gone! Then suddenly, reality set in. The "NEWAMERICA" is not America at all - only a barren land. 1. There are very few crops that have flourished because the nation was built on a slave-supported system. 2. There are no cities with tall skyscrapers because Alexander Mils, a black man, invented the elevator, and without it, one finds great difficulty reaching higher floors. 3. There are few if any cars because Richard Spikes, a black man, invented the automatic gearshift, Joseph Gambol, also black, invented the Super Charge System for Internal Combustion Engines, and Garrett A. Morgan, a black man, invented the traffic signals.4. Furthermore, one could not use the rapid transit system because its procurer was the electric trolley, which was invented by another black man, Albert R. Robinson.5. Even if there were streets on which cars and a rapid transit system could operate, they were cluttered with paper because an African American, Charles Brooks, invented the street sweeper. 6. There were few if any newspapers, magazines and books because John Love invented the pencil sharpener, William Purveys invented the fountain pen, and Lee Barrage invented the Type Writing Machine and W. A. Love invented the Advanced Printing Press. They were all, you guessed it, Black. 7. Even if Americans could write their letters, articles and books, they would not have been transported by mail because William Barry invented the Postmarking and Canceling Machine, William Purveys invented the Hand Stamp and Philip Downing invented the Letter Drop. 8. The lawns were brown and wilted because Joseph Smith invented the Lawn Sprinkler and John Burr the Lawn Mower. 9. When they entered their homes, they found them to be poorly ventilated and poorly heated. You see, Frederick Jones invented the Air Conditioner and Alice Parker the Heating Furnace. Their homes were also dim. But of course, Lewis Lattimer later invented the Electric Lamp, Michael Harvey invented the lantern, and Granville T. Woods invented the Automatic Cut off Switch. Their homes were also filthy because Thomas W. Steward invented the Mop and Lloyd P. Ray the Dust Pan. 10. Their children met them at the door - barefooted, shabby, motley and unkempt. But what could one expect? Jan E. Matzelinger invented the Shoe Lasting Machine, Walter Sammons invented the Comb, Sarah Boone invented the Ironing Board, and George T. Samon invented the Clothes Dryer. 11. Finally, they were resigned to at least have dinner amidst all of this turmoil. But here again, the food had spoiled because another Black Man, John Standard invented the refrigerator.Now, isn't that something? What would this country be like without the contributions of Blacks, as African-Americans? Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "by the time we leave for work, millions of Americans have depended on the inventions from the minds of Blacks."Black history includes more than just slavery, Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Marcus Garvey & W.E.B. Dubois.

An elderly couple were having dinner at another couple's house and after their meal, the wives left the table to go to the kitchen.
The two elderly gents were talking, and one says: "Last night we went out to a fabulous new restaurant. I'd highly recommend."
The other man says: "What's the name of the restaurant?"
The first man thinks long and hard with a furrowed brow, finally saying: "Ah, what is the name of that red flower you give to someone you love?"
His friend replies: "A carnation?" "No, no. The other one," the man says.
His friend suggest "The poppy?"
"No, no, no" growls the man.
"You know - the one that is red and has thorns."
His friend says: "Do you mean a rose?"
"Yes! Thank you!" the first man says. He then turns toward the kitchen and yells: "Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?"

Lie Robot
A little truth won't hurt... but a tight slap from a robot; sure wouldhurt.
This robot is available for sale! pls contact the producers if you need one.....enjoy yr day.One day Kyle's dad brought home a robot. The robot was special in thatit could detect a lie and would slap the person who lied on the face.Kyle returned late from school that day and his dad asked him, "Son whyare you late from school?"Kyle answered, "Dad, we had extra classes today".Much to his astonishment the robot jumped up and slapped Kyle on hisface.His dad told him, "Son this robot is special in that it can detect a lieand will then slap the person who lied. Now come on tell me the truth.Why are you late?""Dad, I went to a movie""Which movie?""The Ten Commandments"Immediately, Kyle got another slap on the face from the robot."Sorry Dad, I went to see the movie Sex Queen"."Shame on you son, when I was your age I never watched obscene movies ormisbehaved" Immediately, the dad gets a tight slap on the face from therobot.Hearing the last sentence, Kyle's mother comes walking out of thekitchen and sarcastically says to her husband, "After all he is YOUR son!!!"To which the robot steps up and gives Kyle's mother a resounding slap on her face!!!

That's all folks...see y'all later.

Sunday 24 February 2008

Thisday Awards + Hip Hop World Award Nominees

The 13th annual Thisday Award took place at the THISDAY Dome, Falomo, Ikoyi on Sunday 17th Feb 2008



Here are the names of some of the winners of the award

Lifetime achievement awards for elder statesmen and renowned Nigerians who had served the country decades back, but whose laudable services were hardly still remembered by the society they had laboured to serve.
Yakubu Gowon, who ruled Nigeria for nine years as a military head of state;
Dr. Ola Vincent, Former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor,
Professor Grace Alele-Williams, Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Benin,
Prince Bola Ajibola, former World Court judge,
Mr. Allison Ayida,, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Chief Arthur Mbanefo, who was chairman of the United Nations Committee on Peacekeeping between 1999 and 2003,
Alhaji Abdul Ganiyu Abdurazaq, the first lawyer from the North and first National Legal Adviser to the defunct Northern Peoples Congress (NPC),



Others were Second Republic senator and renowned accountant, Senator David Dafinone,
former Commissioner for Education in the defunct Mid-western region and secretary of the defunct Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF), Chief Tayo Akpata,
Immediate past Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Alfa Belgore
And former chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), late Chief Sunday Awoniyi, who bagged a posthumous award.



The Senate President, Senator David Mark clinched the senator of the year award

Hon. Farouk Lawan, received the Representative of the Year Award



Governors of the year
Fashola emerged the best governor in terms of infrastructural provision.
The governor of Imo State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim bagged the award of best governor in exemplary visionary leadership style,
while his Delta State counterpart,Uduaghan emerged the best governor of the year in the area of promotion of peace and stability

Minister of the Year Award went to Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Foreign Afairs Minister.






Nominees for Hip Hop World Awards 2008.
The list is out and I must say it's an interesting one. So this is what we'll do...WILL WIN/SHOULD WIN.
Lets predict Who will most likely win a category and Who really deserves to win it..
I'm going to do my predictions...

Album of the year

2face Idibia - Grass 4 Grace

P-Square - Game Over (Will Win, should win)
Mode 9 - E Pluribus Unum

Asa - Asa
Faze - Independent



Artiste of the year
D'Banj
2face Idibia
P-Square (Will win, Should win)
Olu Maintain



Song of the year
Yahoozee - Olu Maintain (Should win)
Do Me - P-Square (Will win)
See me so - 2face Idibia
Kolomental - Faze



Recording of the year
Bimbanke - Asa
Stylee - Jimmy Jatt, 2face, Elajoe & Mode 9 (Will win)
Greenland - TY Bello (Should win)
True Love - 2face
Need somebody - Faze



Producer of the year
Mosa - Greenland (Should win)
Puffy Tee - Yahoozee
Jokayne - Stylee
OJB - See me so
Cobhams - Bimbanke
ID Cabasa - Ruggedy Baba (Will win)



Best Music Video (Award goes to director)
Do me - Jude Okoye (Will win)
Greenland - TY Bello/Abbey (Should win)
Fire on the mountain - Cosa
Stylee - DJ Tee
Sasha - Clarence Peters



Best Reggae/Dancehall Album
London Fever - African China
True Love - Timaya (Will win, Should win)
Uchie - African Rockstar



Best RnB/Pop Album
Definition - Jimmy Jatt
Independent - Faze
Niyola - Call my name
Press on part 2 - Indespensables
Game Over - P-Square (Will win, Should win)



Best Rap Album
Definition - DJ Jimmy Jatt (Will win)
E Pluribus Unum - Mode 9
Tha Rapman begins - Terry Tha Rapman
First Lady - Sasha (Should win)



Best Collabo
Stylee - Jimmy Jatt, 2face, Elajoe & Mode 9 (Should win)
Ruggedy Baba - Ruggedman ft 9ice
Lorile - X-project ft Konga
Booty Call - Mo Hits All Stars (Will win)



Best Rap Single
Lagi mo - Rooftop MC's
Stylee - Jimmy Jatt, 2face, Elajoe & Mode 9 (Will win)
U know my P - Naeto C ft Ikechukwu
Crowd Mentality - M-I (Should win)

Best Vocal perfomance (Male)
2face - Stylee
9ice - Ruggedy Baba
Wande Coal - Ololufe (Will win, Should win)
Faze - Someone like me

Best vocal performance (Female)
Bimbanke - Asa (Will win)
Jebele - Kween
Ekundayo - TY Bello
IJoba Orun - Lara George (Should win)
Niyola - Call my name

Hip Hop World Revelation (New Artiste?
9ice (Will win, should win)

Asa

TY Bello

Sasha
Olu Maintain

African Artist of the year
Nameless - Sinzia

Batman Samini - Lambori

Freshly Ground - Pot Belly (Will win, should win)

HHP - Music & Lights
Jozi - Whats with the attitude

Ok, I've made my own predictions...what's your -Will win, Should win? Do let us know!

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