More Photos of the Okoyes at Their father’s Burial

The Okoyes buried their father yesterday in Anambra State, and the superstar twins and their beautiful wives rocked matching outfits… See more photos:




Beautiful uh???

Any Politician Who Doesn’t Perform Will Die in Office – Ali Baba

It has come to that point where Nigerians have to ‘swear’ for any ‘lie lie’ politician who would come into office and forget everything he promised Nigerians while seeking election… So that’s exactly what ace comedian, Ali Baba has done in recent online posts… Check them out:

Artist African China shows off his eggplant in new jacuzzi photos

African China no send una at all. Lol. He's still sharing photos from inside a jacuzzi...and this time he made sure to put his eggplant on display. See more pics after the cut...

Pics: Gen. Buhari at Governor Fashola's Lagos residence today

Buhari is currently in Lagos at governor Fashola's residence. They are campaigning in Lagos today I think. See more photos after the cut...

Fashola and Fayemi's wives amongst others getting ready to head out...

Super Eagles footballer, Sunday Emmanuel, shows off his family

Nigerian Footballer Sunday Chukuamaka Emmanuel, 22, who plays for SV Grödig in Austria as a striker showed off his family on his instagram page. Another pic of his wife and daughter after the cut...

Did Flavour just share a photo of his daughter?

Are we finally seeing Flavour's daughter with Sandra Okagbue? The high life singer, who's been very discreet about his daughter who was born in September 2014, posted this pic on his instagram page

Prof. Pat Utomi writes on the controversial Charles Soludo article

Professor of political economy and former presidential candidate Pat Utomi shared this on his Facebook this morning. Read and tell us what you think... 

The firestorm generated by Chukwuma Soludo’s well reasoned commentary on the place of issues in the 2015 electioneering campaign has somehow become the core of the campaign. What a way to come from outside and define agenda.

Of course I do not agree with all the points marshaled by the erstwhile CBN Governor and Patito’s Gang member, but not to commend his citizen duty of engagement or indicate as reprehensible the resort to ad hominen bashing of the former Economic Adviser instead of providing Facts to counter the views he had raised. 

That is issues based campaign. I will myself raise logic to support and dispute some of the points in the Soludo intervention.

I do agree with Soludo that issues matter. I also think that those who turn to divisive emotion-laden typecasting of others rather than issues pertaining to the well being of the Nigerian people do a grave disservice not only to democracy but to the long term common Good of all.

The Soludo thrust of criticism sounds like an attack on the statist perspective that intervention can generate jobs and economic growth. Even as one who likes to see government out of the way, I find the approach worrying because beyond the Keynesian logic that brought the ultimate capitalist state, the US, out of the Great Depression with initiatives like the Tennessee Valley Authority in Infrastructure, there is more recent example of post 2008 global financial crisis and the stimulus packages of the Obama Administration, and now Europe turning to Quantitative Easing, not to knock the wall street / Main street tag team approach to ensuring prosperity. Soludo’s solutions sometimes sounded like Deepak Lal on the poverty of Development Economics. I think that if we see current oil price slum as an opportunity rather than a threat then we have to see a role for government in the way Lee Kuan Yew used state intervention when Singapore was prostrate in 1965, as Nigeria is today.

This leads to another point I am not in agreement with Soludo on. He talks about cost of programmes and the fact that low oil prices mean you cannot finance a big idea. In 1965 Singapore’s main revenues came from rent for the British Naval Base and the British had decided to shut all bases east of Eden. The decision of leaders of the United Malay, National Organisational (UMNO) to eject Singapore from the Federation that was thought to be the only hope left. Singapore, out of pocket, and all dressed up with nowhere to go. Then they rolled up their sleeves, got creative, transmitted the right values and found leadership that inspired and had integrity. Today the small country probably has the largest concentration of billionaires per capital on earth.
Here in Nigeria, shortly after self government, in the 1950’s, Nnamdi Azikiwe as Premier of Eastern Region was anxious to match the free education policy of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Palm Produce did not fetch as much as Cocoa in the Market. The civil servants led by the new Permanent Secretary in Finance, Chief Jerome Udoji thought it could not be done because of limitations of money. Zik insisted and accused Udoji, in Parliament, of trying to sabotage his government. After 40 percent of the Eastern Nigeria budget of 1957 had gone to education and was still inadequate, the Ugoji team suggested the introduction of fees for Primary 1 and Primary 5. But leadership kicked in. A philosophy called “Ibu anyi danda” raised a formula that created a partnership between government, the communities and missionaries that enabled the East leapfrog the gap in education between the East and West.

In both cases the difference was leadership. At the centre in Abuja for some reason that may be from exposure, or whatever, does not inspire as Lee Kuan Yew, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Michael Okpara did. Money is not everything in making dreams come through.
Among the many lessons we will learn, if we begin to operationalize the cash transfers initiative of APC, a concept that helped Inatio Da Silva pull Brazil out of ‘potential’ into a global economic powerhouse, is that we may not need as much cash as Soludo projects and that corruption and goal displacement is so high in a bloated public service that the savings will more than be adequate. Besides from Kayode Fayemi and Rauf Aregbesola we learn that with such programmes in Ekiti and Osun that the numbers projected are often exaggerated. Given our abuse of census we are likely to find much fewer people in those brackets. Check with the Bill Gates Foundation on satellite imagery studies of target population groups.

Having stated my major point of disagreement, it is useful to reflect on some other points raised by Soludo.

His broadside on austerity measures pronouncement and the road to austerity is a true, fair and proper read. No question that we walked with our eyes open into a repeat of 1982. In many of my speeches and my 2006 book WHY NATIONS Are Poor, I recall how the Iranian revolution pushed oil prices into the stratosphere of USD 40 a barrel. We went reckless with champagne and even importing sand and big men bought Rolls Royces. We managed to borrow ourselves into a dept trap. On this round we moved up private jets and buying up Dubai.

When this current boom started with India Rising and China producing I recall on several occasions calling for fiscal responsibility compact in which flows into the distributable pool, the FAC account, not go above $40 a barrel, with additional revenues up to $70 a barrel price going to a stabilization fund. This fund would be available were prices to drop below $40 to be used to ensure a constant budget funding up $40 in lean times. Beyond $70 it should flow into a future fund. I have been singing this song for several years but the technocrats say the politicians insist on sharing the whole money and say of talk about saving for a rainy day that it is pointless planning for the rain when it was already pouring torrents. My retort was what is so wrong in resigning to make a point and force public conversation to educate the people because these politicians may be greedy but they surely do not hate their children. They have only acted in ignorance. I point them to young Mahathir Mohammed in Malaysia who disagreed with the position of the then Prime Minister and spoke up. He was dropped from the government where he was a junior minister, and expelled from The United Malay National Organization (UMNO) the dominant party at that time. Out of government he wrote a book: The Malay Dilemma. That triggered soul searching that finished with the resignation of the Prime Minister. He was brought back into the Party. Not long after Dr Mahathir Ibn Mohammed became Prime Minister and the history of Malaysia changed for good.
What does it take to lead such change- Genius? No. I draw from the Ronald Reagan experience in the US. President Reagan was not a genius. Some think he probably already had Alzheimer disease when he entered the White house. But his values were clear as was his vision. He found the right people and an America, in retreat, was revitalized, opening the way for teen and twenty American young stars to create a new industry with the .com revolution. Ironically, I have said elsewhere that the Buhari movement somehow reminds me of the coming of Ronald Reagan.

Let me close with a caveat. My response is a citizen response. My prism on this is not partisan. But I am a card carrying member of the APC. The emergence of the APC is a culmination of my life’s quest as an institutionalist to see the dynamic of two balanced political parties. I was sure that without competition between parties that are equals progress would continue to elude Nigeria So I longed for and worked for the scenario we have today. But I see in the torrent of abuse on Chukwumah Soludo for speaking truth to power and worry this thing we have worked hard for, not in any pursuit of any self interest, but for the advance of the common good, could be threatened by those who fail to understand the very idea of the public squares and the triumph of the ideas rather than emotional outbursts that result in tension and violence.

I have read unprintable things on line and in so many e-groups, some more offensive than Charlie Hebdo cartoons from both sides. This is poison we must curb. It is a double blow when those who follow this track are well educated. So let us leave this business of certificates and uncompleted PHDs and hateful portrayals of opponents in caricature from the cross to throw backs of earlier life of candidates that seem like Hitler’s Goebbels at work let’s examine vision of society of challenges and the record of incumbents. Lets ask people, regarding incumbents, is your life better today than it was four years ago and to the challengers how can you make these same lives much better four years from now. To win elections from intimidation, a shower of insults and trying to diminish opponents rather than engage their minds can only produce pyrrhic victory. 

The worst such “victory” would be to win an election and lose a nation through bitterness that makes it difficult to get people to work together to advance the shared good of the people. For people like me the public sphere is about the pursuit of the elevated immortality. This comes when you do what is right and if providence beckons, as it did for Mahathir Mohammed, lee Kuan Yew and Ronald Reagan then you live a name that time cannot find an eraser to rub off. Those who negate the opportunity for progress to blossom and the triumph of the human spirit to bring progress deserved die a thousand times while they still inhale and exhale no matter the title they get for their place is in infamy.

Jordan 'says it will hang all ISIS captives' if group kills Jordanian pilot captured in Syria

Jordanian pilot First Lieutenant Mu'ath Safi Yousef al-Kaseasbeh was captured by ISIS militants in December after his plane was shot down while he was conducting airstrikes over Syria. Now Jordan has threatened to kill all ISIS prisoners in their country if Mu'ath is killed by ISIS.

From Mail Online

Jordan has threatened to fast-track the execution of a would-be suicide bomber ISIS is trying to free if the terror group kills its captured pilot, it was reported today.

The government has apparently warned that Sajida al-Rishawi and other jailed ISIS commanders would be 'quickly judged and sentenced' in revenge for Muath al-Kaseasbeh's death.

It comes after a deadline for a possible prisoner swap allegedly set by ISIS passed yesterday with no clue over the fate of al-Kaseasbeh or fellow Japanese hostage Kenji Goto.

Intelligence sources said ISIS's refusal to prove that al-Kaseasbeh was alive meant any deal with the militants was doomed.

Now Jordan has reportedly stepped up its rhetoric by warning of its intent to retaliate if the negotiations end in bloodshed.

Elijah Magnier, chief international correspondent for Kuwait's Al Rai newspaper, told MailOnline: 'I have reliable contact in the Jordanian government who says a message has been passed to ISIS. It warns that if they kill the pilot they will implement the death sentences for Sajida and other ISIS prisoners as soon as possible.' 

Shortly after reports of the ultimatum emerged, Jordan issued a statement saying they were still waiting for proof that the captured F-16 pilot was still alive.  

Jordan had agreed to an ISIS demand to free al-Rishawi who failed to fulfil her Al Qaeda mission as a suicide bomber.

In return, ISIS said it would not execute the 26-year-old pilot, who was seized in December after crashing near its HQ in the Syrian city of Raqqa. 

In its latest audio recording, ISIS threatened to kill al-Kaseasbeh if a deadline was not kept for the release of al-Rishawi by dusk Iraq time yesterday - around 5.30pm (2.30pm GMT).

But it appeared to make no promises to release him, another condition the Jordanian government is demanding.

Jordan has threatened to speed up the execution of a would-be suicide bomber the Islamic State is trying to free if the terror group kills its captured pilot Muath al-Kaseasbeh, seen above in a picture being held by fellow hostage Kenji Goto in a video posted by ISIS last week demanding the release of an Iraqi terrorist.

It was not clear from the recording what would happen to Mr Goto if the deadline was missed.

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe named new African Union chairman

90 year old Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe has been named the new Chairman of the African Union. He took over from Mauritania's President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz at a ceremony which held at the Union's secretariat in Addis Abbaba, Ethiopia this morning. Why is this man at this age taking on more responsibility?

Lol. See what Osun governor did on his way to APC campaign today

That’s Osun state gov Rauf Aregbesola, on his way to the APC campaign this afternoon, throwing cash and recharge cards to his supporters. He actually sat on top of a moving bus...lol

Was Buhari stoned at Lagos rally? See the massive turn out

The APC held their rally at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos today & a few people are tweeting that he was pelted with stones. Did that happen? Meanwhile see pics from the rally after the cut...

50cent's ex-girlfriend accuses him of abuse after he mocks her on instagram

So here's what happened. A few days ago, MTO did a post on one of 50 Cent's former girlfriends, named Holly. When the rapper saw the post, he reposted it on his instagram labeling her community Puzzy. When Holly saw what 50cent put on instagram, she got into a nasty fight with him and made some shocking claims. She said 50 Cent physically assaulted. When some followers didn't believe her, Holly then posted messages between herself and 50 Cent where she threatened to release pictures of her battered body. See it after the cut...

Last year rapper 50 Cent was arrested for attacking his baby mama Daphne Joy so this is easy to believe!