Actress Bisi Ibidapo Obe denies visit from Dino Melaye

There were reports a few weeks back that ex House of Rep member Dino Melaye took some family members and friends to the home of his alleged baby mama, actress Bisi Ibidapo Obe, to apologize and claim paternity of the baby he had earlier rejected. Bisi says this is not true, that Dino never made such moves. She tells Encomium mag

"I heard the rumours and I was particularly disappointed to hear it. A lot of people had called me on it but I wonder where those behind this got the information from. Absolutely there is nothing like that. He never came to see the child. Please ignore the stories, let them continue posting rubbish. I am busier than attending to such issues. I am okay, my daughter is also okay. I am more concerned with the proper upbringing and welfare of my daughter and I will appreciate it if the media will support my career, rather tha publishing false stories about me. I wish to be left out of any controversy so as to build my career and take good care of my daughter".

Photos: Nigerian Wins World Muslim Beauty Pageant

(AFP) – A Nigerian woman tearfully prayed and recited Koranic verses as she won a beauty pageant exclusively for Muslim women in the Indonesian capital Wednesday, a riposte to the Miss World contest that has sparked hardline anger.

The 20 finalists, who were all required to wear headscarves, put on a glittering show for the final of Muslimah World, strolling up and down a catwalk in elaborately embroidered dresses and stilettos.

The newly crowned the Muslimah World 2013 Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola (C) of Nigeria speaks to audience during the Muslimah World competition in Jakarta on September 18, 2013. The finale of a beauty pageant exclusively for Muslim women was set to take place in the Indonesian capital on September 18, in a riposte to the Miss World contest in Bali that has drawn fierce opposition from Islamic radicals. AFP PHOTO

But the contestants from six countries were covered from head to foot, and as well as beauty they were judged on how well they recited Koranic verses and their views on Islam in the modern world.
After a show in front of an audience of mainly religious scholars and devout Muslims, a panel of judges picked Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola from Nigeria as the winner.
While the event in a Jakarta shopping mall paled in comparison to Miss World on the resort island of Bali, in which scores of contestants are competing, Ajibola was nevertheless overwhelmed.
Upon hearing her name, the 21-year-old knelt down and prayed, then wept as she recited a Koranic verse.
She said it was “thanks to almighty Allah” that she had won the contest. She received 25 million rupiah ($2,200) and trips to Mecca and India as prizes.
Ajibola told AFP before the final that the event “was not really about competition”.
“We’re just trying to show the world that Islam is beautiful,” she said.
Organisers said the pageant challenged the idea of beauty put forward by the British-run Miss World pageant, and also showed that opposition to the event could be expressed non-violently.
Eka Shanti, who founded the pageant three years ago after losing her job as a TV news anchor for refusing to remove her headscarf, bills the contest as “Islam’s answer to Miss World”.
“This year we deliberately held our event just before the Miss World final to show that there are alternative role models for Muslim women,” she told AFP.
“But it’s about more than Miss World. Muslim women are increasingly working in the entertainment industry in a sexually explicit way, and they become role models, which is a concern.”
Hosted by Dewi Sandra, an Indonesian actress and pop star who recently hung up her racy dresses for a headscarf, the pageant featured both Muslim and pop music performances, including one about modesty, a trait the judges sought in the winner.
The pageant, which also featured bright Indonesian Islamic designer wear, is a starkly different way of protesting Miss World than the approach taken by Islamic radicals.
Snowballing protest movement
Thousands have taken to the streets in Indonesia in recent weeks to protest Miss World, denouncing the contest as “pornography” and burning effigies of the organisers.
Despite a pledge by Miss World organisers to drop the famous bikini round, radical anger was not appeased and the protest movement snowballed.
The government eventually bowed to pressure and ordered the whole pageant be moved to the Hindu-majority island of Bali, where it opened on September 8.
Later rounds and the September 28 final were to be held in and around Jakarta, where there is considerable hardline influence.
But there are still fears that extremists may target the event — the US, British and Australian embassies in Jakarta have warned their nationals in recent days of the potential for radical attacks.
More than 500 contestants competed in online rounds to get to the Muslimah World final in Indonesia, one of which involved the contenders comparing stories of how they came to wear the headscarf.
The contest was first held in 2011 under a different name and was only open to Indonesians, Shanti said, but after the media began comparing it to Miss World, it was rebranded as a Muslim alternative to the world-famous pageant.
Because of its popularity, organisers accepted foreign contestants this year for the first time, with Iran, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Nigeria and Indonesia represented.

BBM Available For Android On September 21 And iPhone On September 22

That’s right BBM fans — the iconic mobile social network will begin rolling out for Android and iPhonecustomers around the world from September 21. Soon, you’ll be able to easily connect with friends on different platforms. As you may know BBM was previously exclusive to BlackBerry smartphones, and it will be available as a free download in Google Play and the App Store.
While some of you are no strangers to BBM, many will be new and might be asking: What is BBM? Below, you’ll find all the highlights for BBM for Android and iPhone.
BBM for Android and iPhone features:
BBM Chat – Enjoy real, immediate conversations with friends on Android, iPhone and BlackBerry smartphones. Not only does BBM let you know that your message has been delivered and read, it also shows you that your friend is responding to the message.
More than chat – With BBM you can share files on your phone such as photos and voice notes, all in an instant.
Keep your group in the loop – Multi-person chats are a great way to invite contacts to chat together. BBM Groups lets you invite up to 30 friends to chat together, and go a step further than multi-chat by sharing photos and schedules. And, with Broadcast Message, you can send a message out to all your BBM contacts at once.
Post Updates and stay in the know – BBM lets you post a personal message, profile picture and your current status, and lets your contacts know instantly in Updates.
Your unique PIN – Every BBM user has a unique PIN that maintains your privacy, so you don’t have to give out your phone number or email address to a new or casual contact.
BBM gives you a private social network for active, real conversations and it has more than 60 million customers on BlackBerry alone. The overwhelming majority use BBM an average of 90 minutes per day. BBM customers collectively send and receive more than 10 billion messages each day, nearly twice as many messages per user per day as compared to other mobile messaging apps. Messages on BBM are typically read within seconds, reflecting how truly engaged BBM customers are.
It’s immediate. BBM is always on so you are always connected. And because messages on BBM are typically delivered and read within seconds, it’s the closest thing to a live conversation.
You trust it. BBM always tells you that messages are delivered and read. BBM conversations come alive on a private network you can count on.
You control it. BBM allows you to choose your contacts and how you share your information. BBM uses a PIN so you don’t have to give anyone your phone number or email address.
In a recent press release, Andrew Bocking, Executive Vice President for BBM at BlackBerry said:

“BBM is a very engaging messaging service that is simple to use, easy to personalize and has an immediacy that is necessary for mobile communications. With more than a billion Android, iOS, and BlackBerry smartphones in the market, and no dominant mobile instant messaging platform, this is absolutely the right time to bring BBM to Android and iPhone customers.”

Availability
BBM will be available as a free download for Androidsmartphones running Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean (Android 4.x) beginning at 7AM EDT on September 21. BBM for iPhones running iOS 6 and iOS 7 will become available for each market on the App Store schedule of 12:01 AM local time on September 22. For more information, or to download BBM for Android or iPhone, visit www.BBM.com.
BBM will continue to evolve quickly. Later this year, BBM Channels will provide a forum for active, real conversations between you and the people, brands, celebrities, artists, service providers, communities and more, that matter to you. By creating a Channel, individuals and brands can engage their friends and communities in conversations sparked by their thoughts, ideas and passions. Subscribing to a Channel will let you join conversations with people who share your interests. In addition, BBM Video calling and BBM Voice calling are planned for availability for Android and iPhone in a future version.
Courtesy: Official BlackBerry Blog

I Won’t Resign, Okonjo-Iweala Tells Amaechi’s NGF

Minister of Finance, Okonjo-Iweala

The coordinating minister for the economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Wednesday dismissed calls for her resignation by members of the Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi-led Nigeria Governors’ Forum. The minister said she would not in any way consider such advice but would rather bother herself with the economy.
Members of the Amaechi faction of the NGF had on Tuesday called on the minister to resign her appointment if she knew she would not be able to adhere strictly with the Appropriation Act 2013.
They had said the non-compliance with the revenue projections of the 2013 Budget was also a direct breach of the provisions of the Appropriation Act, 2013.
The call for the minister’s resignation was part of the resolutions of the NGF faction, which met in Abuja.
But Okonjo-Iweala, while addressing journalists in Abuja on recent developments in the economy, said, as a minister working under President Goodluck Jonathan, she would prefer to ensure that the economy was prudently managed rather than discussing political issues.
At the briefing, the minister was accompanied by the Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation, Dr. Bright Okogu; DG, Debt Management Office, Mr. Abraham Nwankwo; and the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla.
She said, “I am not here to address those kinds of issues; you know I am Minister of Finance for the country. I am working with President Goodluck Jonathan and I will just do my job.
“This (press briefing) is not to address any issue, all of you know that from time to time I have this kind of press conference and I share with you what is happening in the economy and that is what am doing.
“I am not answering to that (call for her resignation) and as you see me here, do I look any close to resignation? I dey kampe. I don’t want to talk about political issues here.”
She said that in spite of the revenue challenges facing the country, all macro-economic indicators showed that the economy was performing “reasonably well.”
For instance, Okonjo-Iweala said in the agricultural sector, a total of 2.5 million seasonal and full time jobs had been created in nine commodities value chains.
According to her, these are cassava, sorghum, oil palm, cotton, cocoa, dry season rice, raining season rice and maize.
She noted that while production output was increasing, a lot of investments had been made by both local and foreign investors that would also create more jobs.
She said, “The economy is doing reasonably well. It’s not perfect but it’s doing reasonably well. I say this because actual realities on ground are baring this out.
“In agriculture where we are seeing results, we have seen that 2.5 million seasonal and full time jobs have been created.
“The economy should be managed for the good of Nigerians and that’s what we are here. We are not going to get involved in any political things.
“Let’s face fact of the economy. I have given you fact about roads, rail construction, jobs created in agricultural sector, increase in production and what we are doing that you can go and check for yourselves. So let’s focus on facts.”
When asked about the expectations for the 2014 budget, the minister said the country would see a “lean budget” as opposed to the amount contained in the 2013 budget.

Police Lied About My Rescue – Archbishop Kattey

Archbishop Ignatius Kattey

Archbishop of Niger Delta Province of Nigerian Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey, yesterday, accused the Nigeria Police of lying over their claim that they secured his release from the kidnappers who abducted him penultimate Friday. Briefing newsmen in Eleme, Rivers State, to share his nine days experience in the den of the kidnappers four days after regaining freedom, Most Rev. Kattey thanked the Police for their efforts, but said that they were not the ones who rescued him.
He said: “The Police did not rescue me, neither were they the ones who rescued my wife, Beatrice. I saw the Police for the first time two days ago, after the incident. I heard the statements made by the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO. The police are telling lies. If you cannot trust the Police, then who can you trust? I told the Commissioner of Police and he has apologised.
“I know that they made efforts but they did not rescue us. A helicopter flew over the area more than 500 times, but the boys (kidnappers) were smarter. They held me in a thick forest and no one could see me there.
“On the day of my release (September 14), the kidnappers moved me and we trekked a number of kilometres till we got to a road. Then they gave me N200 and ordered me to walk towards a direction where I would get a bike. We thank God for His mercies because I wouldn’t even wish my enemy to go through that experience.”
Kattey, who is Dean of the Nigerian Anglican Communion, also said that he was not aware if any ransom was collected over his release, explaining that he was not tortured by his abductors, whom he said he had forgiven.
“I was not tortured. They fed me on fast food once a day, sometimes on bole (roast plantain). They tied and chained my legs, but one of them said ‘you can’t chain this man’. I slept on the ground, beaten by rain and bitten by mosquitoes like them for up to seven days. As an old man of 65 years, I had no choice than to stay and swim in the forest with them.”
The Archbishop, while expressing his gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, the Police as well as Christians and Muslims for their concern and prayers, however, appealed to the federal and state governments to review the security situation in the country and be sensitive to the plight of the governed.
He said: “From my experience, the abductors are hungry and in dire need of means of livelihood. Some are adequately educated but lack the enabling environment to positively express themselves. If government will give the people potable water, light and good roads, they will change.”

Father Of 10 Kidnaps, Kills Neighbour’s Son

 The State Security Service has arrested a father of 10, Saturday Dewakei, who allegedly kidnapped Abubakar Adamu, the five-year-old son of his neighbour and killed him when his demand for a N5m ransom was not met.
Dewakei, 43, was said to have entered his neighbour’s room at Aso ‘C’ Gbagalape, Mararaba area of Abuja through the ceiling on April 19, 2013 and abducted Adamu while he was asleep.
The SSS tendered the remains of the victim on Wednesday, which were mainly bones, including his ribs, femur, dental cavity and a locally-made pistol that was recovered from the suspect.
Parading the suspect in Abuja on Wednesday, the SSS Deputy Director, Operations, FCT Command, Ibrahim Halilu, explained that Dewakei killed the boy in an uncompleted building and dumped his body in a water-filled soakaway when the ransom he demanded was not paid.
He stated that the victim’s father, identified as Isah, paid Dewakei N100,000, adding that the suspect murdered Adamu because he was dissatisfied with the amount.
Halilu stated that Dewakei was apprehended by operatives when he accepted the offer of additional N300,000 after he had killed his victim.
“Investigation revealed that Dewakei killed the child and dumped the body in a soakaway when the ransom was not paid. He has taken operatives of this service to the scene of crime where the remains of the kidnapped boy were recovered,”Halilu said.
Dewakei, who appealed to Isah for forgiveness, said he kidnapped the boy.
He said, “I did not kill him. The victim was running away and he fell into the soakaway.
“I brought him out, but he had died because his hands were tied. The boy died in my arms; the parents should please forgive me. I only kidnapped him to make small money.”

Police Declare Anambra Commissioner Wanted For Alleged N10.6m Fraud

Mr. Vincent Ezenwajiaku

The Special Fraud Unit of the Nigeria Police Force, Ikoyi, Lagos State, has declared the Anambra State Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Vincent Ezenwajiaku, wanted. The SFU said the commissioner allegedly obtained N10.5m under false pretence about 10 years ago.
His surety, one Mr. Obi Okwudili, had also been arrested by the unit for his inability to produce the suspect.
A statement by the SFU Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ngozi Isintume-Agu said, “A petition to the Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, alleged that sometime between 1996 and 2002, Ezenwajiaku, being the Managing Director of BIO Plastic Ltd, had invited the complainant to invest in his company as a co-Director.
“This was to enable the complainant acquire 34 per cent equity at the end of the investment.”
The complainant was said to have subsequently paid N10,582,540.00 in installments after receiving reports from Ezenwajiaku, which indicated the huge potential of the company, the expected turnover and the profit.
However, a belated check with the Corporate Affairs Commission by the complainant later revealed that he had invested in a non-existent company as it was not registered with the commission.
The statement read in part, “In the course of investigation, detectives from the unit, travelled to Anambra State with an invitation letter which was duly served on the suspect.
“Ezenwajiaku was expected to report to SFU on April 16, 2013, but he did not honour the invitation.
“On August 4, 2013, detectives went to Awka with a warrant of arrest which Ezenwajiaku resisted.
“Instead, he maintained that he must see the governor of the state or the commissioner of police in the state.
“Ezenwajiaku was later taken to State Criminal Investigation Department at Anambra, where he made cautionary statement.”
He was said to have been subsequently released on bail to Okwudili who promised in writing to produce Ezenwajiaku on August 15 2013.
On the said date, Okwudili was said to have failed to produce Ezenwajiaku.
As a result, Okwudili was later arrested and would soon be charged to court for offence of “surety to show cause.”
The statement added, “The Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit has declared Vincent Ezenwajiaku wanted.
“Anybody with useful information on how to arrest him or his whereabouts, should contact the Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit, 13, Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.”

You’re Encouraging Corruption Too, Nigerians Tell President Jonathan

Nigerians reacted on Wednesday to a report alleging that President Goodluck Jonathan accused the citizens of encouraging corruption in the country.
While declaring open the 54th annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society in Abuja on Tuesday, the President had reportedly said that if Nigerians did not “reward corrupt practices” through their actions, those involved would have no need to continue.
Responding to the statement on the social media, many Nigerians applauded Jonathan’s position and then, cautioned him against putting the blame for corruption entirely on them.
The respondents said the President, through his inability to lead by example, had failed to provide a lasting solution to corruption.
Some of those who disapproved of Jonathan’s statement said he goofed by casting the first stone.
They went on to accuse him of promoting corruption by granting state pardon to a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who had been convicted on charges of corruption.
A respondent on punchng.com, Yemy, said Jonathan had demonstrated his tacit support for corrupt Nigerians by granting pardon to Alamieyeseigha.
The reader said, “No doubt that President Goodluck Jonathan is spot on. However, he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. GEJ seems to me a bad advertisement of the product he wants to sell. How would you describe the pardon granted Alamieyeseigha? Is that not rewarding corruption?”
A Facebook user, Prince Oyelola Timothy-Adesanya, argued that since the President inadvertently gave a pass mark to his former boss, who was indicted for corruption by a competent court, he was not morally fit to lecture other Nigerians on the need to shun corrupt individuals.
“Hello Mr. President, it seems you don’t know who stands on the wheel chair of corruption. The case study is Alamieyeseigha and the public fund of Bayelsa State. Don’t forget your office gave him a pass mark for the wrong doing? Oga Jonathan, who is deceiving who?” Timothy-Adesanya said.
Another respondent on nairaland.com, Batman, noted that since the President encouraged corruption through his actions, he was not in a vantage position to cry foul.
Batman wrote, “He (Jonathan) encourages corruption. So what do you expect everyone under him to do? Why is he the leader? Doesn’t he know he is the number one person that should serve as an example? A body always goes where the head tells it to go.
“The moment he (Jonathan) stops waving and smiling sheepishly and takes a tough stance against corruption in high places, see if the chain reaction won’t transmit to the grassroots.”
But, just as Jonathan urged Nigerians to “frown on people who come up with what they are not supposed to have” with a view to checking corruption, a Facebook user, Bam Olugbenga-Odugbesan, asked, “When your mother (Eunice), a dependant for that matter, donates multimillion naira block of hostels to the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State and you applaud her without asking where she got the money from, is that not corruption?’’
Meanwhile, Jonathan was also rebuked for stating that he would not reveal the identities of those engaged in corrupt practices in both the private and public sectors citing concerns that he could be “attacked.”
The statement was described by many people as the President’s own way of admitting that he is afraid of fighting corruption.
They hinged their argument on the fact that since he has the state apparatus at his disposal, he should not hesitate to wield such powers rather than express the fear of being “attacked.”
“Jonathan, you are the number one citizen of Nigeria and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. Are you scared of some individuals and groups in the public and private sectors?
“If you can’t mention their names and punish them, then you are encouraging them with a pat on the back,’’ another Nigerian, Okafor Nolly, said on Facebook.
One Abiodun Johnson also noted, “He doesn’t have to name names. He could easily arrest and prosecute them. But he is afraid of being attacked! Nigeria is in trouble.’’
However, one Tony Are on punchng.com disagreed with Nolly saying, “If the President should mention names. Many of us will say he is attacking his enemies because of his 2015 ambition. Now he is saying nothing and you still call him names.” -Punch