Photos of the ancient temple in Palmyra before and after destruction by ISIL

ISIS group released images on Tuesday showing the destruction of the ancient temple of Baal Shamin in the Unesco-listed Syrian city of Palmyra. Baal Shamin was built in 17 AD and was expanded under the reign of Roman emperor Hadrian in 130 AD.

See the first beneficiaries of my 'I'd Rather Be SelfMade' project. Over N5million given away

I am so excited and I can't wait to help more young ladies start their own businesses. So earlier this year, I announced that I was going to set aside a N10million grant to help young ladies with dreams, ambition and great business ideas to start their own small scale businesses. (Read here). And finally, I've done it. I've spent over N5million on 15 girls...and I have another N5million to give away before the end of the year. You have a great business idea and need start up capital? I'm here to help! .:-)

So here's how it happened. I met with over 800 ladies in January this year, I got a panel to look at their proposals, we asked about 50 of them to present their ideas to us and then we shortlisted to 15 girls who are the first beneficiaries of the 'Linda Ikeji I'd Rather Be Selfmade' project. Above are 11 out of the 15 beneficiaries. Four girls who live outside Lagos (Jos, Umuahia, Ibadan and Warri) couldn't make it to our meeting this past Sunday August 23rd. See some photos and more after the cut

Two of the girls got over N600k each, another two got over N500k each, two got over N400k, others got over N300k and N200k. Only one girl got N150k.

Asides from giving them money to start their businesses, I will also use my platform (LIB) to push their businesses. Whenever I post anything from any of my SelfMade ladies, I will indicate it's one of my girls so you guys can please patronize them.

This money is 100% my own money. I didn't collect a dime from anyone. I want to first give away this N10million and see what the girls do with it before getting others involved. I'm truly hoping to make a new set of self made women and like I said when I stared this, I plan to do this for as long as I can. Once this N10million is exhausted, I will bring out more money.

Also, I told the ladies/beneficiaries that if I see that their business is going well and they are really dedicated and extremely serious about succeeding, I will pump in more money into their businesses and by the end of 1 year, any lady who has most succeeded with the little they got to set up their business, will get an additional N1million. Two of them will actually get N1million each.

I really, really want more women to succeed, to be more independent, to make their own money, and to stop sleeping with men for money. And I will do everything I can to help as many ladies as I can.

Having said all that, I will be calling for a new set of girls in the coming weeks. So if you're interested, get a proposal ready. Tell us what you want to do and how much you need to do it and be ready to face a panel to defend your business idea. I wish you and yours all the best and as soon as my team and I are ready, I will announce where you can meet us. So stay tuned. Kisses!

Photo from the first time I met some of the girls in January...

P.S: Please do not send me personal emails with your proposals/requests for money. I will only give money via this project. If you need start up capital, get a proposal ready and we will let you know when we are ready to meet you. You have to go through this process to get the money. If you send me personal emails...like some MTV programmes say "We will not open or view them":-)

All the best!

Photo: Woman dies after doctors severed her baby's head during delivery

Geeta Devi died at a government hospital, in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, northern India after doctors forcefully pulled on the body of her child during delivery, severed the baby’s head and left it inside the womb. The 32-year-old was later sent to another hospital where doctors managed to remove the severed head from her womb, but could not save her life. She died in the early hours of Sunday, August 23.

Her husband Hemant, 40, from Sadar Bazar, in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, northern India, said:

“It is the fault of the doctors. First they removed the body of my baby leaving the head inside and then they told us to take my wife to another hospital. They just left us. Eventually a local nursing home took my baby’s head out of my wife but she died. They could not save her.”

The District Magistrate of Shahjahanpur, Shubhra Saxena, said: “It is a severe case of negligence and we are investigating the matter.”

Photo Credit: (Her husband holding the body of the baby) Cover Asia Press

Photo: 25 year old Ghanaian fresh graduate reportedly joins ISIS

There are fears that this 25-year-old Ghanaian graduate Nazir Nortei Alema (pictured above) has joined international terrorist group, Islamic State in Syria. Nazir who is a graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with a degree in Geography and Rural Development, allegedly left Ghana this month to join the terror group.

Nazir's father, Kabiru Alema, said soon after completing his mandatory National Service in Ghana on August 2nd, Nazir sent a WhatsApp message to him saying that he was on his way to another region in Ghana on a job-related assignment.

Hours later, Nazir sent another one with a different content.

“Pray for me, for I will never forget you in my prayer and it’s my hope and prayer that we meet again if not in this world then in Jannah (paradise). I love you all. May Allah grant us understanding and guide us all to the straight path. Asalaamu alaikum. I told you a lie to please my Allah. The deception was to go do some research work in far away Prestea while the main idea was to move far away from you all to the Islamic State (IS). I know it might sound kind of crazy for you but your son really had to take this bold step to get out of the corrupt system of Ghana which has democracy first on its list.”the message read

Nazir's father says his son and other young men who are believed to have joined the terror group were part of an Islamic group on Whatsapp named “Sadaqa Train,” where they are brainwashed and all of them had extreme ideas of Islam.

“The youth who have fallen prey to the ISIS craze belong to the same whatsapp group on which they share extreme ideas about Islam.”

He says his son's friends that were also on the chat group are no where to be found now. He also added that some disturbing videos have been spotted on his son’s laptop, a clear indicator that Nazir has been sufficiently brainwashed online.

New photos of Emir of Kano...something regal about him!

The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II pictured as he rides on his white horse inside his palace in Kano. More photos after the cut...

Photo credit: Dele Momodu

Khloe Kardashian goes even blonder (photos)

The reality star showed off her new look in new instagram photos and as you can see, she's gone even blonder. Khloe, who recently returned from her holiday in St Barts with her family, went all out with the colour when she visited celebrity stylist Jen Atkin yesterday..

Blac Chyna & Amber Rose getting their own reality TV show on MTV

According to TMZ, BFF's and former strippers turned glamour models Amber and Blac are getting their own MTV reality show. Read full report below...

"We’re told it’s close to being a done deal with contracts on the table. Both women have a lot in common … recently single, working mothers with high-profile rappers for baby daddys and money in the bank. They also have past love affairs with the stripper pole.

Sources close to production say the show won’t be ratchet ... it'll focus on Amber and Chyna taking care of their kids while juggling work, including club appearances.

No word if either of their famous exes Wiz Khalifa or Tyga -- who already has a show on MTV2 -- will be involved, but it wouldn’t hurt ratings.

Guess all is well? Niyi Johnson posts wife, Toyin Aimakhu's pic as his WCW

A few days ago, actress Toyin Aimakhu removed her husband's name from her name on instagram and referred to herself as Miss Aimakhu (read here) making fans wonder if there was trouble in her marriage. There might be no cause for alarm because this morning, her husband, Adeniyi Johnson, shared a photo of her on his page and referred to her as his WCW (Woman Crush Wednesday).

Nigerian man files for divorce over wife's alleged sexual escapades on social media

An Ekiti based businessman identified as Muyiwa Owolabi, has filed for divorce from his wife of over 10 years, Tinuola Owolabi, following allegations that she engages in sexual escapades with men she meets on social media.

According to a report by Vanguard, Muyiwa in his divorce papers which he filed at an Ado Ekiti Customary Court, stated that his wife and mother of his two children use social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp to connect with many men who are now her 'man friends & concubines.'

Muyiwa who appeared before the court yesterday August 25th, presented printouts of his wife's communications and pictures with different men, including messages where his wife and her supposed man friends were exchanging pictures of their private parts. He also said he caught his wife with one Benson Onyechere, his junior at Christ’s School, Ado Ekiti who usually speak with her on phone but when he caught her, she replaced Benson’s name with a supposedly female name, ‘Bola’ to hide her lover’s identity.

He also alleged that another of his wife's lovers, one Taiwo Oyetunji and Alaba Sunday Samson whom she met on Facebook, came to visit her their matrimonial home. Tinuola when called into the witness box, demanded for the dissolution of their marriage.

Pres. Buhari pictured doing his National ID registration yesterday

President Buhari pictured above doing his National Identity Card registration at the state house Abuja yesterday August 25th.

Fatal accident on Lagos-Ore road leaves many dead (Graphic pics)

Full load of God is Good motors this morning collided with a Dangote truck heading to Lagos. The commercial bus was from Lagos heading to the East when it got involved in a head on collision at Ore Sagamu Expressway with the truck that was heading to Lagos. All passengers in the bus died.. and the photos are sad and very graphic so be warned. More photos after the cut...

 

Photos: VP Osinbajo at the Nigeria Diaspora Day 2015

Vice President Osinbajo declared open the Nigeria Diaspora Day 2015 which held in Abuja yesterday Aug 25th. More photos after the cut...