This week on Keeping It Real, Nigerian officials ground a Kenyan plane for deporting three Nigerians.
Also, a container kills one man while policemen chance Okada driver in Lagos.
In Zimbabwe, find out all that Mugabe is doing to retain power in the upcoming election.
One Ethiopian woman in California, Menbere Aklilu, goes from being homeless to owning a prestigious restaurant, find out who she did it.

Star actress and ex-beauty queen, ibinabo fiberesima made history when she emerged the first female president of the actors 'guild of Nigeria last year. After six months of steering the affairs of the
hitherto controversial guild, the charming lady seems to be doing very well so far with no dispute, in the guild. In this chat with lanre odukoya, she talks about the challenges of running the guild and her achievements

OUR ACHIEVEMENTS IN SIX MONTHS...

Everything we achieved is credited to the team. At least, we have some milestones to show for our stewardship in six months; we have united all warring factions, constructed a new multimedia website with online registration/revalidation to enable us know membership strength and we have commenced in earnest. We now have our Health Management Plans and Insurance Schemes for members. I must also add that we have inaugurated two new chapters, founded the first ever veteran's meeting series across the six geo-political zones, redressed the skewed perception of the guild to a more positive one for the general public, government and the press. The list is endless. We are perceived as a better guild now and people from the international community also feel safe to reckon with us. We hope that we can muster the trust of actors with these achievements even as we continue to build bridges across the network of the performing actors in the country.
WHAT I'VE DONE TO UNIFY THE GUILD...
If you follow the way AGN is run, you'd realize that from time immemorial, there have been factions. When I came in as the Guild's president, I tried to unite every-body. The 'A-listers' are on their own, the veterans too are in another camp and it's seemed everyone had given up on this guild. Now, when we came to power, we'd reached out to a lot of people to come back. Part of the reasons for the previous crisis was because the veterans were not too happy with upcoming actors running the Guild. They made me know that they came back because I called them to come and be part of the decisions of the Guild and that if they were going to be part of the guild, they must know what is going on. I made them realize that there was no foul play anywhere that nobody had brought them to insult anybody- Their grouse was that the young man running the body then was only three years old in the guild. And I said that it was improper to use that against him because he had gone through screening with the AGNEC. For the sake of peace, I gave everyone a level playing ground, so that we won't have people throwing daggers at one another.
THE GUILD'S IMMEDIATE PROJEC-TIONS...
Though we have one year and six months to remain in office but we don't feel that there's enough time to address some pivotal issues and nip some threats in the bud. For our duly registered members, we are improving welfare package. Training and re-training of members in all categories are providing standard contract for members with the producers. We also want to institute the first ever actors summit to discuss our challenges and prospects. In the pipeline is also the commencement for the collection of actors' residuals, launch of benevolence funds to support our members amidst several others.
ON THE RECENTLY HELD LAGOS CHAPTER AGN ELECTION...
We had the election last Saturday. It was free and fair until the point when we had to announce the result. Actors 'Guild National Electoral Commission made a mistake. They started announcing from the chairman's point of view. There were two candidates for chairman -Victor Osuagwu and Don Pedro Aganbe. Then they started counting Aganbe's result and when they got to number 45, some boys accosted me. They said 1 was manipulating the results and said how can I let Victor lose'? I asked them to calm down and allow us count the vote in front of everyone there. They refused and I had some personal bouncers. I hired guard's from Voltron Securities. They stopped them from at-tacking me, so I grabbed the ballot box and took off with them. And we had a representative from Nasarawa State with us who jumped inside the car with me. She was even the one who had the ballot box. I got somewhere safe, summoned the AGNEC and they counted the ballot papers. Osuagwu had 80 votes as against 69 votes that the other guy had. So, we went ahead and announced the result so that there wouldn't be any situation where people would complain that the ballot box slept overnight with anyone. I insisted the result must be announced immediately after counting and Osuagwu won. We had to invite all the contestants to come and we counted the votes again. The election held in Surulere Local Government Area. It was there we hired the policemen from the Area C command. Channels Television recorded it live till when the results were announced. Prior to the elections, I'd been sent threat text messages and got even four fake court injunctions and all were not registered and all those who signed them were fake people.
ABOUT THE AGGRIEVED PARTY...
There's nowhere in Nigeria where you won't find aggrieved parties. So, it's only natural, but there's nothing to worry about. Everything is under control. Aganbe ran as chairman and didn't have the whole team with him unlike Victor Osuagwu who had the vice chairman, secretary and in fact, the whole team with him. So even if he had won, you can imagine how he would fare with someone else's team.
WHY THE LAGOS CHAPTER ELECTION WAS SO DEAR TO ME...
It's because of the past EXCOs. It was be-coming militarized. There was so much intimidation that even some people couldn't express themselves freely at the meetings. They didn't give us account of office. And we had done the revalidation. When we do the swearing-in, we'd hand over a cheque to them. So, there's now an account and you'd be accountable for everything you do. I am not particular about Lagos state. All the 26 states matter to me now. I want things to be done right.

JOSE MOURINHO has been given the green light to launch a major spending spree after Chelsea signed a staggering £300million deal with adidas.

The 10-year sponsorship is a world record fee for an agreement between a football club and kit manufacturer.
And the eye-watering figures have eased Chelsea’s concerns about falling foul of UEFA’s new Financial Fair Play regulations.
The deal smashes the previous landmark of £287m which Manchester United signed with Nike for a 15-year term back in 2000.
And it means Chelsea will no longer be so reliant on billionaire owner Roman Abramovich to bankroll them.
Their previous agreement with adidas, first signed in 2006 and renegotiated in 2010, was worth around £20million a year.
But success in the Champions League and Europa League, coupled with Mourinho’s return as manager, has raised the club’s global appeal.
Chief executive Ron Gourlay said: “The new deal reaffirms adidas’ belief in Chelsea’s status in world football.”
This is the third major kit agreement in recent weeks after Arsenal signed a £30m-a-year deal with Puma and Liverpool signed for £25m-a-year with Warrior.

Five people narrowly escaped death last night after a train ran into a truck laden with laterite at the PWD railway crossing, opposite the Nigerian Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to eyewitnesses, the driver of the truck, with registration number LAGOS XY 288 JJJ, attempted to play smart by crossing the railway line, but failed to make it before the speeding train rammed into it.

Though no life was lost in the accident, but five unlucky passengers, who were left critically injured, were rushed to nearby hospital where doctors are presently battling to save their lives.

The fate of the injured passengers was uncertain as at the time of this post.
We wish them a speedy recovery, Amen!

The Sokoto State Government has earmarked N56.7 million to buy food and clothing materials for indigent persons during the Ramadan, an official said on Saturday.
The Chairman of Sokoto State Zakkat and Endowment Committee, Alhaji Lawal Maidoki, made the plan known in Sokoto.
Maidoki said the items included 6,300 bags of grains and 6,420 clothing materials, adding that the grains, namely millet, maize and guinea-corn, would cost N 50.4 million.
‘’ No fewer than 6,300 indigent persons, both men and women, including widows and widowers, would benefit from the annual gesture by the state government.
‘’Gov. Aliyu Wamakko has also approved an additional N31.5 million for the donation of N5,000 to each of the beneficiaries for transportation and other logistics.
‘’ The beneficiaries will be drawn from the 63 districts of the 23 local government areas of the state.  The gesture is as usual, aimed at enabling them to break their fasts with relative ease,’’ Maidoki said.
He said 6,420 orphans selected from the 63 districts would get 6,420 pieces of cloths worth N6.3 million for the Sallah celebrations.
Maidoki commended Wamakko for sustaining the annual gesture to the poor, considering that they were also members of the society.
Meanwhile, the chairman condemned the preponderance of street beggars in the state in spite of  the payment of N6,500 each to 6,923 physically challenged persons monthly by the state government.
‘’ The state government spends N45 million in this direction and unfortunately beggars are daily dotting the streets of Sokoto and its environs.
‘’Begging is not allowed by Islam. Even if one is in serious need or a problem, he or she is allowed to seek for help only to solve that particular problem.
‘’Commercialising begging or turning it into a business venture is abhorred by Islam and nobody should engage in it,’’ Maidoki said.

Neymar scored his third goal in three games at the Confederations Cup as Brazil beat Italy 4-2 in an absorbing Group A contest in Salvador.
The forward, who has joined Barcelona from Santos this summer, curled home a wonderful free-kick to beat Gianluigi Buffon on 55 minutes as Brazil finished their Group A campaign with maximum points.
Luiz Felipe Scolari’s side took the lead in first-half injury time through defender Dante, and after Emanuele Giaccherini finished from a fine Mario Balotelli assist to level, Neymar struck his free-kick and Fred grabbed an accomplished third.
Italy pulled one back when Giorgio Chiellini scored in contentious circumstances after 71 minutes but Brazil claimed a fourth through Fred in the closing minutes.
The Azzurri finish second in the group following Saturday’s defeat, with both teams heading into the semi-finals (eurosport)
More to follow…

Eugene Juwah, the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has decried the landing of all submarine cable in Lagos.
 
Speaking at the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Stakeholders Forum on Thursday in Lagos, Juwah said that there was the need to situate the cable in other states of the country.
 
 The ICT Stakeholders Forum, with the theme: ``Connected For Growth-Moving from Planning to Execution’’ was organised by the Ministry of Communication Technology.
 
He said that extending the landing points of the submarine cable to other states would ensure the desired level of broadband penetration needed in the country.
According to him, there should be a developed strategies based on the peculiarities of the different geographical areas to enable the deployment of broadband infrastructure.
 
``There is the need to have a coordinated strategy toward the provision of a broadband infrastructure ecosystem in the country,'' he said.
Juwah said that over 30,000km long of intercity fibre had been laid already to boost broadband penetration.
He however said that a high volume of the 30,000km capacity was under utilised due to the concentration of the fibre in one place.
According to him, one of the rationale for a national broadband strategy is to expand access to more localities.
 
Juwah said that the commission was working to engender competition and innovation among service providers by ensuring an open non-discriminatory access to broadband infrastructure for the operators.
 
Dr Ernest Ndukwe, Co-Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Broadband said that broadband was to the 21st Century Information Age what electricity was to the industrial age.
He said that broadband had a significant transformative effect on how people live and work.
 
According to him, it is considered critical that cable companies all have demonstrable recovery and restoration agreement with each other.
 
He said that it was critical that cable systems were extended to other coastal regions or states.
``The Federal Government shall therefore promote the rapid establishment of recovery agreements and the delivery of additional cable landing points to other coastal states,’’ he said.
He listed the states to include Delta, Rivers, Bayelsa and Ondo states.

The National Pension Commission (Pencom) on Friday said it had so far registered 5.56 million participants into the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) since 2004.
Chinelo Amazu, the Acting Director General of the commission, disclosed this in Calabar at the inauguration of the South-South zonal office of Pencom.
She said that the commission had generated a large pool of investible funds of over N3.34 trillion.
She said the amount had been invested in various instruments based on the statutory guidelines.
According to her, these are part of the achievements of the commission since its establishment in 2004.
She said that the commission was amending the Pension Reform Acts of 2004 which had passed through the second reading in the Senate.
 The acting DG said the agency had succeeded in issue regulations which had ensured the smooth running of the industry and creation of job opportunities.
She said Pencom had also made possible the ``administration of retirement benefits which ensures that pensioners get their pay when due and the establishment of six zonal offices across the country.”
Amazu said that the setting up of the zonal offices in all the geo-political zones was a way of decentralising Pencom’s activities thereby bringing the administration closer to retirees.
``It is our expectation that retirees, active workers and other stakeholders will tap the opportunities offered by the Calabar Zonal Office to lodge complaints, ‘’ she said.
In his speech, Gov. Liyel Imoke thanked the commission for choosing Calabar as its zonal office, adding that there was no better choice for the office in South-South.
Imoke said that the state government was ready to utilise the opportunities offered by the office to regularly interact with Pencom for the benefit of workers in the state.
He commended the commission for the pool of funds it had generated and invested.
``This pool of pension funds is a potential platform for attaining the transformation agenda of government in the provision of infrastructure, energy, employment  generation and the development of real sector, ‘’ he said.
 Also speaking, Sen. Aloysius Etuk, Chairman Senate Committee on Establishment, Ethics and Privileges, said it was sad that retirees had to travel all the way to Abuja to collect their pensions.
Etuk said that the establishment of the zonal office was a step in the right direction.
The governor later commissioned the office complex situated behind the new state secretariat.

Nigeria’s Central Bank Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has advised that the N365 billion set aside for rice importation annually should be invested in massive rice production.

Sanusi made the remark in Minna at a lecture titled “Exploring Central Bank of Nigeria’s special intervention in agriculture for the transformation of Nupeland’’.

The governor, who was represented by the bank’s Director of Development Financing, Mr Paul Nduka, decried low funding of the agricultural sector in the country.
He said there were lots of funding packages initiated by the bank to encourage agriculture, saying the low budgetary allocation for agriculture was not good enough.

Sanusi said gross under-funding and low budgeting for the agric sector was contrary to the Maputo declaration which set 10 per cent of budget for agric sector.
``Gross under-funding has also been the bane of the agricultural sector and posed a major challenge.

``The allocation to the sector of less than four percent of the federal budget since 2006 is not appropriate.
``It is contrary to the 2003 African Union (AU) Maputo Declaration which directed member-countries to increase investment in the agricultural sector to at least 10 per cent of the national budget,’’ he said.

The CBN governor said the absence of basic infrastructure and amenities in the rural areas has contributed to the poor condition of living of rural dwellers.
He said this had invariably impeded investment in the agriculture sector.

Sanusi said the potential and the strategic location of Nupeland and its comparative advantage in the production of rice, sorghum, maize and fish was an asset.
``These show that Nupeland is capable of providing adequate food for Nigeria and other African countries,’’ he said.

He recalled that in the 80’s rice from Nupeland was very popular in Nigeria.
The CBN governor then called for investment in the value chain of rice production in the area, saying the potential should be revived in the interest of the nation.

I am a 20 year old woman living in the UK and also studying here. My parents have been at war since I can remember and I have to rely on my siblings to take care of me, I am reluctant to ask them though as everyone works hard and times are difficult.
I have had my fair share of horrible boyfriends in the past few years, I have dated so many stingy men that would not give me a penny but I am usually not bothered about this as I don't date men because of their money. I have although since decided to remain single and just have the usual one night stand because I am tired of the constant heartbreak and pain. Until recently.
I recently got introduced to a married man and the initial plan was to have him spend on me, I didn't want to but as I was about to be kicked out of my flat for lack of payments I did what I had to. I wasn't going to go any further with him but he turned out to be really nice. I tried to cut contact with him but unfortunately he had fallen head over heels in love with me. If he doesn't see me or hear from me in an hour he becomes frantic and agitated. He tells all his friends here in the Uk about me, takes me to their houses and introduces me as his girlfriend.

This is a man with a wife and 4 beautiful children whom I happen to know very well through him introducing me to them. He keeps saying he would make me his second wife which of course I don't believe and always has sex with me unprotected despite my refusal. Also he has not given me any more money since he paid my rent for the owed 2 months, any time I ask him he gives one excuse or the other, even paying for my cab to wherever is too much to ask of him. I desperately want to get out of it but now I think I might be pregnant for him.  

I'm so confused about the next step, I'm scared if I tell him I'm pregnant he'll disappear but I also can't take care of a child on my own as I have not even graduated from university. I've thought about going to tell his wife but I'll just be labelled a home wrecker and loaded with all the blame. Please what do I do?

President Goodluck Jonathan will on Sunday travel to Yaounde, Cameroun, to participate in the Summit of West and Central African Heads of State and Government on Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea which opens there on Monday, June 24, 2013.
The summit has been convened against the background of rising incidents of piracy in the resource-rich Gulf of Guinea.
President Jonathan will join other Heads of State of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) and the Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS) in the Camerounian capital to deliberate on new proposals and a joint action plan to tackle piracy and maritime criminality in the gulf.
A press statement by the Presidential Spokesman Rueben Abati, said the Documents to be considered and ratified by Heads of State at the Summit include a Memorandum of Agreement among ECOWAS, ECCAS and the Gulf of Guinea Commission on maritime safety and security in West and Central Africa, the policy statements of the Heads of State and Government on maritime safety and security, as well as a Code of Conduct on the fight against piracy, armed robbery and illegal maritime activities.
It is expected that at the conclusion of the summit, legal instruments for cooperation on maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea will be adopted by participating heads of state and government.
The legal instruments and the Memorandum of Agreement on joint prevention and repression of illegal activities in the gulf will establish a concrete basis for the two regional blocs to share intelligence, conduct joint patrols and jointly repress piracy in their  maritime domain.
President Jonathan will be accompanied to the summit by the Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Adoke, the Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, the Minister of Transport, Alhaji Idris Umar, the Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Joseph Ezeoba and the Director-General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.
The President will also hold bi-lateral talks with President Paul Biya on bilateral issues such as border security and the welfare of Nigerians living in Cameroun.
He will meet with the Nigerian community in Cameroun before returning to Abuja on Tuesday, June 25, 2013.

The Lagos State Government on Saturday said it had taken a number of precautionary measures to guard against flooding in the state. Mr Tunji Bello, Commissioner for the Environment, stated this in an
interview in Lagos.

Bello said that although the state government had always undertaken routine flood prevention measures, it had stepped up preparations in view of heavy rainfall predicted this year in the state.
The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) had on Thursday alerted Lagos State and some other states in the South West that they would experience heavy rainfall and flooding.
Dr Anthony Anuforom, NIMET Director-General, who gave the alert, said the impact would be minimal if the affected states took proactive measures.
Bello said part of the measures taken by the government included construction of new drainage channels, canals and aggressive expansion of existing ones.
"We are also desalting drains and we are clearing canals across the state to ensure free flow of water whenever it rained.
"This is apart from a number of other projects we are undertaking in the lowland areas to remove vulnerabilities.
"As we are doing all this, we are appealing to residents to desist from practices such as indiscriminate dumping of refuse, building on flood plains and others that could block drainage channels and cause flooding.
"Flooding is one the realities of climate change which affects countries with even the best drainage systems.
"Therefore, all Lagosians should adopt environment friendly practices and join forces with government to fight it," he said.
Bello urged residents not to panic over NIMET's prediction, saying that the government would do its best to ensure that the impact of any flooding was reduced to the barest minimum.
The commissioner advised residents in low lands to be at alert and be ready to be evacuated to safe areas during heavy downpour.


Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State yesterday replaced four oomrnissioners in a cabinet reshuffle but retained 15 and appointed one Special Adviser. Commissioners of Education, Mrs. Eunice
Thomas, Health, Dr. Bassey Antai,; Science and Technology, Mrs Comfort Etuk, and Dr. Clement Bassey of Culture and Tourism were dropped.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), ME Umana Okon Umana in a statement said the Governor, approved posting of Commissioners and Special Advisers in the State but was silent on why the four commissioners were dropped.
Also, Umana said "as part of the re-restructuring of the machinery of the state administration, the Governor also has approved the establishment of the Bureau of Sports and Youth Development
"The new Bureau of Sports and Youth Development is to take over the ministerial responsibilities of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. With this development, the Ministry of Youths and Sports is here by abolished".
The new commissioners sworn in are fto£ Atim Ardai for Education, DE Emmanud Bassey, Health, Engt Iboro Ekanem, Sci-ence and Technology, Dr. Glory Emmanuel Edet, VNfoanen Aflairs and Social V\felfaie while Prince Godwin Ntukude is for Bureau of Political and Legislative Affairs.
Nine of the Commissioners retained their portfolio white six others swapped positions.
Akpabio had while swearing in the new Commissioners and the Special Adviser warned them to "derobe" themselves of the fanciful idea of power and influence but to join hands in building a state that would oeate conditions and opportunities for indigenes of the state to fulfil their aspirations.
"We have reached a critical point in our journey as a people. We have built a state in the last six years, which exceeds the diearns and expectations of our forefathers. We have done this by the application of the Akwa Ibom virtues of industry, integrity and diligence.

As a popular actress, how do you cope with negative stories? The entertainment industry, everywhere in the world, is a game of fame; and anyone who plays the game knows that it is a profession where
secrecy and privacy are difficult to maintain. Everybody, especially you (press), wants to know what we do every time and every day. The profession is also a game where, because of competition and, sometimes, envy, a lot of people would want to create negative reports about others for their own selfish advantage. That is why you see a lot of things that are not true being said or written about some actors and actresses. But because Nigeria is a country where people seem not to have the time to pursue things in the courts or maybe because our legal system seems to be time-consuming, many people try not to seek legal action about certain negative reports about them. So, people take advantage of that situation and rubbish people's image in the media. I may have been a victim of such negative reports in recent times, but by virtue of the profession, when I know that a certain negative story about me is not correct, I discard it, assured that many of my fans know me well and would not be swayed by such stories. However, when I'm sure a negative report is deliberately created to tarnish my image, my profession or that of my family, I will definitely take legal action against such writer or publisher as the case may be.

Was there any time your parents advised you to quit acting after reading a negative story about you?
My parents were never in support of me going into acting in the first place, so they did not need to wait until they read negative stories about me. However, after I had spent some time on the profession and they found out that I remained focused and never got involved in terrible things some of our colleagues do (as reported in the media), they left me. My parents are completely with me now and they have no reason to think otherwise about my roles in Nollywood.
Did the negative views affect you as an actress?
As I told you, this profession is synonymous with negative publicity because, perhaps, our culture is such that Nollywood is seen as a derivation of Western influence, when people are seen on sets kissing or fondling each other. Viewers (here) see such things as real action, and when they see such actors or actresses in real life, they think that the role they play in the movie is what they do in real life. You don't get bothered so much about what people say, knowing fully well that most of them comment out of ignorance. That, of course, is not to say that some of us do not misbehave. The truth is that I have never lost sleep over what people say; I worry more over how to please my God and not necessarily how to please man. I will always perform my roles well for my fans.
Do you consider yourself a controversial person?
I don't know what you mean by being controversial. I cannot come from the kind of home I come from and be a controversial person. But what I have always tried to do is not to allow anybody to deny me my right, either as a result of size or through sheer intimidation. And you know, in Nigeria, when you refuse to be intimidated by people, they give you different names – arrogant, controversial or proud. I am not a controversial person, but nobody can deny me my right, privileges or entitlements anywhere.
Did you ever think you would become an actress?
Like I said, it began naturally, I could not help it. I had wanted to be a lawyer; I actually enrolled to study Law at the University of Ibadan, but after a while, the urge for acting dominated the urge for the legal profession. So, it was not an issue of thinking but that of natural talent which had to be developed according to God's plan.
How exactly did this all begin?
Every profession has a beginning. It could come either as a passion or develop in the course of growth or academic development or by association with peers. My journey to the entertainment industry was a passion that began from my primary school days. My teachers then noticed I did things in a manner that people around me were entertained one way or the other. When I got into the secondary school, the passion increased, such that as I began to participate in play groups usually organised in the school as co-curricula activities, I remember a time when one of my teachers wrote a letter to my parents indicating that, by her observation, I was going to be a great actress. My parents did not even open the letter until many years after I had begun acting. So, the passion for acting began early in my life, and I have been doing happily since then.
What was your first movie and how much were you paid?
My first movie was Chains, directed by Lancelot Oduah Imasuen. The purpose of developing a career is first to fulfil one's destiny and be happy. Money is secondary. As of the time I began to act or got my first starring role, money was not really an issue but to fulfil that passion in me and to develop my potential in that perspective. Money may come, no problem; but the primary goal is to be happy in the profession. The moment I am not happy on the job, no matter how much you pay me, the money will not give me joy.
What has the industry brought to you as an actress?
Well, the first thing is fame. It is a thing of joy that I walk on the streets and I see people coming around wanting to touch me or take photographs with me because they have been seeing me on the screen. And I have noticed that even when I enter shops to make purchases, I'm treated differently from others, with some level of respect; and oftentimes, I get waivers or discounts that others may not get. At the airport or public places, I see people who recognise me coming to say 'Hi' and even try to exchange numbers or contacts with me. These things make me happy and money cannot buy them. A lot of people with so much money cannot sleep without sleeping pills, but here I am, happy with myself and people coming and wanting to identify with me. I thank God.
Have you ever encountered sexual harassment in the course of your career as an actress?
No. If I did not encounter that during my early stages in the profession, it cannot happen now.
Do you have people you look up to as role models?
Liz Benson has always been my idol, and she will remain so for a long time to come.
When you are not on set, what else do you do?
When I am not on set, I am taking care of my home, especially since I had my son. He has been my source of joy and he keeps me busy all day. I also engage in other business activities that are not yet a public matter, but which will be made public in due course. I read, write and travel as well.
Have you been publicly embarrassed before?
Maybe when I had a motorcycle accident in 2009; but no one has embarrassed me in the public for any reason, and I do not engage in things that cause public embarrassment.
How many movies have you featured in so far?
I can't really remember now, but it's over 50.
How many movies have you produced?
At the right time with the right resources, I will produce movies, and the time is very near by the grace of God.
What message do you have for your fans?
I know many of my fans will be wondering why they have not been seeing me feature in movies recently. My message is simple: you people out there know that, as an African, the home is very important. No matter what you do, if you do not have a home, the culture regards you as a waste. I have taken out time to build my home and raise my children. I have bounced back to the scene and sooner than later, you will all begin to view your darling actress. I thank you all for your prayers and messages. I read all of them. I want to assure you, once again, that I will not disappoint you by the special grace of God.

According to latest reports in the Spanish and English media earlier tonight, Arsenal football club have met the representatives of Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain.The two parties are believed to
have a reached a conclusionto the negotiations with an agreement in place between the Argentine's camp and the North London outfit.

With a formal offer of £22m already in the table, Real Madrid would be looking to sort out the remaining formalities sooner, allowing them to move on to their targets and replace the outgoing Higuain.
Having agreed personal terms with Arsenal, Higuain would be earning in excess of £130k per week should the move go through.

 Mikel has denied making comments about a move to Galatasaray attributed to him in Turkey. Chelsea's Nigerian midfielder had been quoted as saying he was close to a move to the Turkish side, and
that he had discussed it with their striker and his former Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba.
But Mikel has denied giving the interview and insisted that he never said the words.
Chelsea are looking at midfield reinforcements this summer as Jose Mourinho tries to put his stamp on the squad.
The Independent reported earlier in the week they were seriously looking at Sevilla's 20-year-old Geoffrey Kondogbia.
Chelsea are also thought to be keen on Wigan Athletic's James McCarthy, likely to leave after Wigan's relegation, and Marco Van Ginkel, the Holland Under-21 player currently at Vitesse.



 Stakeholders, including state governments, parents and pupils have called on the Federal Government to abolish the federal character principle in the admission of candidates into the 104 unity schools in the country. They also described as discriminatory the cut-off marks for admission into the institutions, as released by the Federal Ministry of Education. They argued that the cut-off structure was skewed in favour of candidates from some states in the North. This, they said, is retrogressive, promotes mediocrity and kills excellence.
 The call came against the backdrop of the release of the controversial cut-off points, which some Nigerians have criticised for promoting mediocrity above excellence. Observers are of the opinion that the decision, as made by the FME,  highlights the disadvantage of the quota system embedded in the federal character principle. Some of these disadvantages, they argued,  include the denial of admission to better qualified candidates and foisting of emotional trauma on pupils unduly denied admission.
 In the cut off released by FME, a pupil from Anambra State, irrespective of gender, is expected to score at least 139 to gain admission into the schools, while his counterpart from Yobe and Zamfara States is required to score only two marks out of a possible 200. The cut-off point also showed discrimination between male and female students in some states.
For instance, while a male candidate from Yobe State will be admitted for scoring only two marks out of a possible 300, a female candidate requires 27 to gain admission into the same school. For Taraba, it is three for male and 11 for female; while it is nine against 20 in favour of male in Kebbi State.
Also, when a candidate of Lagos State origin is expected to score 133 before he or she could be considered for admission into a unity school for the 2013/2014 academic session, those from Bornu State only need to score 45 to gain admission. Candidates from Osun State are expected to score 127 to get  admission into a unity school. (See Table)
But disturbed by the adoption of the federal character principle in the admission process, the stakeholders, including the Anambra State Government have risen in opposition to the policy.
For instance, the Anambra State Government said on Thursday that the high cut-off mark allocated to candidates from the state was not acceptable.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Uju Okeke, made the disclosure in Awka in an interview with theNews Agency of Nigeria.
Okeke said that the state was not comfortable with the cut-off point imposed on candidates from there, arguing that the high mark amounted to denying children from Anambra equal access to the unity schools.
“The cut-off mark for Anambra is too high. I do not know the criteria but it is not acceptable to us. It is injustice.
“Making Anambra child to score 139 points in an examination some other states are expected to score as low as four points, nine points, and 12 points is not just.
“It puts so many tasks on them, and it does not encourage fair competition which engenders equal development of the Nigerian child.
“We shall register our protest about it with the Federal Ministry of Education in Abuja during our seminars,’’ she said.
Also, parents,  including  Mr. Sao Joseph, a native of Badagry, Lagos State,  and Mr Igandan Adedamola from Ekiti State,  argued that it was high time the Federal Government did away with the policy if it was serious about transforming the nation.
“You cannot transform a nation when mediocrity is being promoted. Why should a child who obtained 125 be denied admission and somebody that scored 45 is preferred? That is not fairness. That is telling that child that he or she is a second-class citizen in his country. It is not fair. That policy must be eliminated from our law books, it has outlived its usefulness,” Sao said.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Prof. Bamitale Omole, shared a similar view. But he added that not just in admission into unity schools that the federal character policy should no longer be used. It should also be abolished in appointments and employment contexts.
Though Adedamola expressed a similar view, he added that all the tiers of government in the country should devise other means of encouraging Nigerian children to have sound education.
“The present system does not encourage healthy competition requires for national development. States and local governments should invest more in basic education because if they have done this, no candidate would perform so poorly to such an extent that some candidates obtained just two marks over 200, it is bad. Their government should take the blame for this,” he said.
However, a principal of one of the unity schools in the South West, who pleaded anonymity, argued that the policy was not new.
“It’s been on for so many years. Admission into unity schools is done through national merit, state of origin merit, catchment area and educational disadvantaged states modes.  So,  after the quota is drawn, each state is expected to fill its quota. A state can be given 250, slots for instance, and in filling the slots, a merit list will be drawn for candidates from such a state based on performance of its indigenes before other modes are considered. But there are years that some of these states with low cut-off marks would not even have enough candidates to fill their slots, so any indigene of such a state will automatically be offered admission.
However, the principal, who is also not happy with the policy,  said there was nothing the ministry could do about it since it’s a law.
“But I can only appeal to state and local governments to reengineer basic education through massive funding, recruitment of qualified teachers who should be well motivated and encourage children to learn,” he added.
Some of the candidates also expressed worries about the policy that would deny them admission when they are qualified to be admitted.
But the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, has defended the policy. He said there was no ill-motive behind the cut-off points as “the reason the schools were established in the first place was for unity.”
The Federal Government, he said, designed the policy in order to accommodate children from educationally disadvantaged states to have the opportunity of being educated.
“The Federal Government designed this policy because of the need to make quality education accessible to all Nigerians irrespective of ethnic and geographical locations,” a top source at the ministry said.

Here’s her story below. She needs your advice. Lol.
Read…..
I need to know if love can survive without money because in my situation i do not think so. I have a boyfriend that i love and he loves me too but he is broke and really jealous and possessive. We have been dating for almost two years now and i have been faithful and honest.

The problem here is that my sponsors who help out with my education are no longer helping out as they used too and i have so many needs for money especially…
My textbooks and other essentials which i can’t readily get anymore and my boyfriend, being broke cannot help out either. He is yet to get a job and i am getting really sick and tired because i need money FAAAAST!
I met someone else who can actually assist me cos he is financially stable but i am reluctant in accepting his proposal of a relationship because of my current relationship.
Should i break up with my boyfriend? I know it would hurt him but i really can’t keep up with all these problems anymore. Please sincere advice.

No fewer than 200 Nigerian girls are trafficked every month to Russia for prostitution, the country’s ambassador to that country, Amb. Asam Asam, has said.

Asam, who spoke against the backdrop of consular challenges faced by the embassy, disclosed this in a chat with the Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Berlin.
NAN investigations reveal that the crime had decline in Western Europe following strict laws on illegal migration, and joint efforts by Nigeria and the governments of those countries to curb the menace.
However, attention has shifted to Eastern Europe as the new destination for the trade.
“The major consular challenge we face in Moscow is the influx of trafficked persons from Nigeria, not less than 200 girls are trafficked every month, and we have so many of them exposed to danger.
“Some are thrown out of the window and treated harshly, there must be a way of stopping these racketeering, these girls are not tourists, students or government officials yet they are given visas from the Russian embassy in Abuja.
“So far we have deported over 240 girls since 2012, you will be shocked, at the extent of resistance from the girls, we tell them Russia is not a destination for prostitutes yet they still come,” Asam said.
According to him, the mission tries to curb the menace by arranging deportation exercise for those caught, but the challenges are enormous.
The envoy said such intervention would be more effective at the point of entry, adding that “the strategy is to stop them from Nigeria, and fish out those involved in the trade.”

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