What would you do if your spouse prevents you from voting?

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Respondents1-360x347.jpg "><br />Usually, many couples look forward to spending their<br />weekends with their families after a long week at work. Some<br />of them believe they would not have a better time to do such<br />as they spend the rest of the week in their offices. Now that<br />an election is coming up today, SATURDAY PUNCH asked<br />some people what they would do if their spouses ask them to<br />spend time with them rather than go out to vote<br />I have to exercise my civic rights<br />Semilore Akinbola<br />It is important that I play my part in building the future of this<br />country, especially now. If I fail to go and vote, the bright<br />future of Nigeria that I have been clamouring for would not<br />come to fruition. This is the time to make it happen – by my<br />vote. I expect my wife to understand that I have civic rights,<br />which include the right to vote, and do it for whoever I want.<br />She should respect that and not hinder me from voting.<br />I can’t discuss Nigeria if I don’t vote<br />Mercy Ihwiwi<br />My husband is surely the head of the family but that has<br />limitations. In an ideal situation, I expect every man to<br />encourage their spouse to go out and vote for who they want<br />to be their leaders. Doing so, we are securing the future of our<br />children. Talking about my husband, he has to allow me to<br />perform my civic responsibility so that if people are discussing<br />Nigeria anywhere, I would have the boldness to say<br />something because I voted. I cannot talk or complain about<br />our leaders if I don’t vote.<br />She has to bear with me for that day<br />Thompson Abolade<br />We can always have many other Saturdays to spend time<br />together after the elections have come and gone. If she<br />understands the meaning of ‘sacrifice’ for the future, she<br />would not have any problem with me not being with her on<br />that day. As a matter of fact, I expect her to even encourage<br />me to exercise my right to vote as a citizen of Nigeria. I<br />expect her to also go out and vote and let us sacrifice<br />romance at least for that day.<br />I don’t even have a PVC<br />Oyinkan Esther<br />To start with, I do not have the Permanent Voters Card. After<br />many attempts to collect it and I could not, I did not disturb<br />myself again because it occurred to me that some caucuses<br />have already decided the winners and losers of this election<br />whether Nigerians vote or not. This is not right. Our electoral<br />process, including the collection of the PVC, should not be so<br />tedious as this. It makes people like me frustrated. Assuming<br />I got my PVC, I would have gladly loved to vote despite any<br />circumstance.<br />We’re going to vote together<br />Adeleke Adekoya<br />What would she be doing at home while I’m out there to vote<br />on Saturday? I will definitely not allow her to do anything else<br />when people are casting their votes, deciding the future of the<br />country. I will persuade her to also perform her civic<br />responsibility. The election is about her, I and our children’s<br />future, so she has to be prepared to vote with me.<br />He has to take me along to vote<br />Ajayi Adesewa<br />“Anywhere he goes she goes” is the beauty of marriage. So if<br />my husband is voting, I expect him to encourage me to also<br />do even when I don’t feel like doing so. Discouragement<br />comes when people vote and see no results for their voting. I<br />have also been discouraged because all these years that I’ve<br />been doing so, I have not witnessed the kind of<br />transformation I want in this country. Corruption and some<br />other evil deeds are the order of the day, which is not normal.<br />All these have frustrated me. However, if my husband still<br />wants to vote, he can take me along.<br />I’ll decide based on the situation of things<br />Oluwafikayo Ajayi<br />One cannot readily have an answer for this type of question,<br />especially in the face of insecurity and thuggery which had<br />always been associated with our elections in the past. Though<br />I don’t pray for such to happen this time around, if I suspect<br />something like that, I may tell her not to go out. As a man, I<br />can go out to vote while she takes care of the children at<br />home. It’s about protecting my family.<br />My civic rights prevail over his order<br />Mary Aborisade<br />On matters like this, my civic rights prevail over my husband’s<br />order of not going out to vote. It is a man with no<br />understanding that will prevent his wife from voting. My<br />husband is no such and so I believe he would allow me to go<br />and vote. There are many other weekends that we will enjoy<br />together after the elections have come and gone. So I’ll<br />persuade him to stay calm.<br />There’s no turning back on voting<br />Mohammed Abba<br />As for the 2015 elections, especially the presidential one, I<br />cannot miss it. I must register my presence by voting for my<br />candidate of choice. There is no U-turn on this because it has<br />been decided. So, nobody can prevent me from voting, even<br />my wife. Even if my candidate loses, at least I would know<br />that I have played my part. Meanwhile, I do not pray for any<br />incident that would discourage me from voting to occur. For<br />instance, if one’s spouse falls critically ill on that day, there’s<br />no way one would leave her and go to vote. Family comes<br />first before any other thing.<br />If he insists, I may not vote<br />Jelilat Oyeronke<br />A little issue at times could degenerate into something<br />unpalatable, especially when it comes to marriage. That is<br />why as a wife, I have to be very cautious of my actions, even<br />when I know I am right. Perhaps my husband fears that there<br />could be violence during the course of the election, he may<br />ask me to stay indoors. I have to obey him as he is doing his<br />first duty, which is to protect his wife. However, I don’t pray<br />for such to happen. I want to not only witness this election, I<br />want to be a part of it and I hope it would come and go hitch-<br />free.

What would you do if your spouse prevents you from voting?

Usually, many couples look forward to spending their weekends with their families after a long week at work. Some of them believe they would...

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No big deal in another man kissING my wife –Nobert Young

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Nobert-Young.jpg "><br />Nobert Young<br />Veteran actor, Nobert Young, tells Ademola Olonilua about his<br />career and family<br />At what point in your life did you decide to become an actor?<br />That was a very long time ago. It was even before I entered<br />primary school because I used to watch my sister and my<br />father direct school plays and concerts. I was very interested<br />in what they did. As I grew older, the interest did not die. In<br />1977, I saw, Langbodo, at FESTAC and that made me take the<br />decision to become an actor. I later went to the University of<br />Ibadan to study Theatre Arts.<br />So your father was also into entertainment?<br />No, my father was a headmaster and in those days, the<br />headmaster played a lot of roles. One of the roles he played<br />was to direct the school concert which I watched him do<br />often.<br />How would you describe your childhood?<br />I was a very happy child while growing up. I was the last born<br />out of eight children. My father was a headmaster and he later<br />became a produce examiner at the Ministry of Agriculture. My<br />mother was a nurse and she just died recently. I grew up in a<br />very big compound and the whole of Sapele, Delta State, was<br />my play ground. There were no restrictions and I grew up as a<br />very happy child.<br />Were you pampered by your parents as the last born?<br />I did not notice it because my mother did not spare me when I<br />misbehaved. When it was time to be pampered, she did that<br />but I did not notice any preferential treatment. I was very<br />stubborn and my mother was very ready for me. She beat me<br />very well when I misbehaved. I learnt how to do everything. I<br />washed plate, ground pepper and beans on grinding stones. I<br />could cook but they did not allow me. The training I got from<br />my mother helped me when I began to live alone.<br />Were your parents skeptical when you decided to make acting<br />your career?<br />They did not frown at it because I come from a family of<br />actors even though they did not take it to the professional<br />level. Before I went to school to study Theatre Arts, my father<br />had died. But I am sure that even if he were alive, he would<br />have supported my decision. My mother supported me to the<br />fullest. She only asked for one thing, that I had to graduate<br />with a second class upper and I did.<br />How about your neighbours and extended family, didn’t they<br />see you as being unserious?<br />We were brought up never to care about what the society<br />thinks. Just do what is right according to your profession,<br />training and religion. Although people raised eyebrow, they<br />respected the fact that I was in the university regardless of<br />what I was studying. It was not easy getting into the<br />university back then and every course being studied had the<br />same requirements. As a matter of fact, students from the<br />University of Ibadan were respected.<br />Was there any time you felt like quitting?<br />No, I never felt like quitting but there were frustrating<br />moments. There were times when you would spend all your<br />energy and resources to do a play and only ten people would<br />show up to watch it. Such things could be very frustrating.<br />That is why I say that if you do not have the passion, you<br />cannot survive in this business; you will run away. I cannot<br />run away from the business because I really enjoy it. Money is<br />not the determining factor for me even though it is important<br />because I have to live and feed my family. So far, so good; I<br />have never thought about quitting.<br />Why are you more involved in stage productions and soap<br />operas as opposed to full length feature movies?<br />I was trained on the stage and when we started out, we only<br />had the stage, television and sometimes radio to showcase<br />our talents. There is this attachment I have to the stage; it is<br />natural and more fulfilling for me. I also do videos and full<br />length films but circumstances make you take certain<br />decisions. I have stayed away from home videos because I<br />believe most of the actors do not have enough training. When<br />I say such things, people do not understand what I am saying<br />and they tag me as an ‘I too know.’<br />What exactly are the circumstances that made you stay<br />away?<br />I believe strongly in training. I do not believe I can become a<br />doctor without training; same way I do not believe I can<br />become a teacher without knowing certain things about<br />teaching people. So it is important to be properly trained in<br />anything that you find yourself doing. Most of the actors in<br />Nollywood that started out like myself were just people who<br />had the interest and we came together to do some good jobs.<br />That was where it stopped because there was no where else<br />to explore. Most of them were stagnant and limited because<br />they did not have any training. I advised a few to go for<br />training but they turned a deaf ear at me. It is a big business<br />and how many people do I want to quarrel with or always<br />correct on stage? This is something I studied and learnt and I<br />would like to share but people would always put you down.<br />So I decided to stay with the soap operas and stage<br />production. The few films that I could tolerate, I accept the<br />script.<br />Does this stance pay you financially?<br />I have been surviving so far. I really don’t know how much<br />home video fetches them but if you make a stand in life, you<br />must be ready to make sacrifices for those decisions. You<br />may not know how well stage plays pay but as regularly as<br />they come, they take care of my bills. It is not like I would not<br />add whatever is made from the home video to what I am<br />earning, but it is a sacrifice I am willing to make. Stage play<br />is not dying, Terra Culture has a stage play that runs every<br />week and people go there to watch the plays. We have<br />sponsors and patrons of theatre; so stage play cannot die.<br />Muson Centre also organises a lot of stage plays. The plays<br />may not be on the increase, but it is definitely not decreasing.<br />Are you saying that there is no professionalism with the new<br />crop of artistes in the industry?<br />That is a difficult question to answer because training in arts<br />does not necessarily involve going to a formal school setting.<br />It could be in form of apprenticeship. There should be some<br />kind of training. I do not believe you can become a<br />professional without any kind of training.<br />Are you scared of competition from the new generation of<br />actors?<br />I can never be scared of anybody local or foreign in my<br />profession. God forbid that I am scared. Most of the newer<br />generation of actors are very shallow. They do not know what<br />characterisation is. And if you do not know what that is, then<br />you are not an actor as far as I am concerned. How can I be<br />scared of such people?<br />Is that why you once said all they sell is beauty and<br />mediocrity?<br />That is true. A handsome face does not necessarily make you<br />a good actor; neither does a pretty face and good body make<br />you a good actress. But that is what people want to see. If<br />people like to see such things, then what good is it to act<br />properly? As a matter of fact, somebody called Henry Locane<br />was a very ugly man but one of the best actors in the French<br />history during the 14th or 15th century. Acting has nothing to<br />do with beauty.<br />How have you managed to remain scandal free even though<br />you are married to an actress?<br />Must every actor and actress have scandals? Scandals are<br />things you do not need and some people create scandals to<br />make themselves very popular or notorious. I am a very<br />humble person who comes from a humble background. I do<br />not do things above my head and I do not break laws. I don’t<br />engage in such things.<br />How have you and your wife been able to raise your children<br />amidst your busy schedules?<br />It has never been a problem. It has to do with understanding<br />and you need to marry your friend. Both of us do not take<br />jobs that would take us out of town at the same time. At any<br />point in time, one person is always at home.<br />How have you been able to sustain your marriage?<br />Sincerity of purpose; you do not marry because of glamour.<br />You do not marry because you want the world to see that you<br />are married to a celebrity or a good looking person. You must<br />lay the right foundation for marriage and you have to be very<br />sure of what you are doing. You have to believe in the<br />institution called marriage. Marry your friend so that when<br />love is failing, friendship carries you on. When there is no<br />money in the home, togetherness can carry you on. Be truthful<br />to each other and bring all the virtues to play in your<br />marriage. For me, it is not a big deal.<br />Do you keep secrets from your wife?<br />We share a lot of secrets together but we do not keep secrets<br />from each other.<br />How did you meet your wife?<br />We met at auditions, so we talked. I am a very playful person<br />and I kissed her one day. I just said hello to her and she<br />turned; immediately I kissed her and I walked away before she<br />realised what happened. I did not know what she was going<br />to do, whether she would slap me or not but I just left the<br />place. I did not run away but I left because I wanted to leave<br />an impression in her. After that, we met on the set of the<br />movie called, Izozo, and that was where our relationship<br />started.<br />What did you see in her that made you propose to her?<br />I saw a friend. I saw somebody that is reliable and somebody<br />that I can trust.<br />Did you watch Glamour Girls?<br />Yes I did.<br />Did you see the movie before you met your wife or after you<br />met her?<br />I think I saw the movie before we met.<br />After seeing the movie, did it influence your decision to date<br />her?<br />No, it did not.<br />How do you feel when another man is kissing your wife in a<br />movie?<br />I don’t have any feelings.<br />Do you feel jealous?<br />I don’t feel anything. I don’t feel jealous. It is a play and<br />professionally, we simulate things. There are camera<br />movements to make things real. Even if it is real, so what?<br />Would the man take her away from me after acting? I don’t<br />feel anything.<br />How have you been able to cope with the ladies?<br />I have never been a ladies’ man. When I am with other actors,<br />girls flock around them but they do not come to me. I had to<br />ask a lady why women don’t come my way and she told me<br />that it is because my face looks too hard. I am a very playful<br />person. Although I think they are right that my face looks hard<br />because sometimes I frown and I don’t know why I do so. I<br />have never been a ladies’ man.

No big deal in another man kissING my wife –Nobert Young

Nobert Young Veteran actor, Nobert Young, tells Ademola Olonilua about his career and family At what point in your life did you decide to be...

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even in my 60s, Women still chase me –Kollington

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Ayinla-Kollington.jpg "><br />Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington<br />Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington, shares his life<br />experiences in this interview with ‘Nonye Ben-Nwankwo and<br />Ademola Olonilua<br />Fuji music is one of the biggest genre of music in Nigeria, as<br />one of its pioneers, did you ever imagine it would become<br />this big?<br />I never imagined that it would become this big at all. We just<br />saw it as a child’s play when we started. It was like a hobby.<br />But now everybody is either singing or dancing to fuji music.<br />Although we never thought it would become this widely<br />accepted, I am glad about what it has become today.<br />Why did you choose to sing fuji when there were other music<br />genres you could have easily chosen from?<br />It was because fuji music was derived from Islamic religion.<br />When I was growing up, during the Ramadan festival,<br />whenever we wanted to wake people up early in the morning<br />to eat and proceed to the mosque for prayers, we normally<br />sang. Then, we called it ‘Were.’ But when you attained a<br />certain age, you couldn’t sing ‘Were’ again. By then, it<br />became fuji. We had the likes of Saka Layigbade, Abinuwaye,<br />singing fuji then but they all lived in Lagos Island. Sikiru<br />Ayinde Barrister was in Mushin while I was based on the<br />Mainland. ‘Were’ metamorphosed into fuji.<br />Did your parents permit you to do music?<br />Initially, they did not but they later supported me. They<br />frowned at it because they believed that only wayward<br />children were going into music. It can be likened to the<br />football profession. At first, nobody wanted their children to be<br />footballers but now even parents buy football for their children<br />and some go as far as taking their children to a football<br />academy. Prior to now, people playing football were viewed<br />with disdain but after seeing the success of the likes of Jay-<br />Jay Okocha and Kanu Nwankwo, everybody wants their<br />children to be like them. That was how it was for us. I never<br />knew music could become this big but it has taken me all over<br />the world. I travel a lot because I am in demand and people<br />actually want to see us.<br />Why did you decide to become a soldier?<br />All my friends in the neighbourhood and some others that sang<br />with me joined the army. I learnt they were at Abeokuta so I<br />decided to go and visit them. By the time I got there, they<br />were all wearing blue shorts and white vests, I saw them on<br />the parade ground marching in an orderly manner and I was<br />very fascinated. I wanted to join immediately but I was scared<br />because I did not meet the basic requirements. My age and<br />height had disqualified me. I was very small. There was a<br />time retired General Olu Bajowa saw me in his house where I<br />was stationed as his security guard. When he saw me, he<br />called me and immediately I saluted him and presented my<br />arms to him. He was marvelled and he said that I was so<br />smart. He asked me my age and when I told him, he asked me<br />who recruited me into the Nigerian Army. I replied him and the<br />next thing he did was to tell one of his orderlies to collect my<br />particulars and hand them over to the various kitchens in the<br />barracks. He left an order that I should always be served<br />double portion of food because I looked very small. My<br />colleagues really made jest of me because of that and to be<br />honest, I could not finish the double ration I was always given.<br />Don’t you think you would have achieved more in life if you<br />had remained a soldier?<br />I doubt it. I did not have the necessary qualifications to rise<br />above certain ranks. If I had remained in the army, I probably<br />would have continued to be a gate man. That is why I am<br />thankful to God that I made the decision to leave.<br /><img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Veteran-fuji-musician-Ayinla-Kollington.jpg "><br />Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington<br />Did you add ‘general’ to your stage name because you were a<br />soldier?<br />No, it is not. In 1990, when I did the record, ‘Ijo Yoyo,’ I was<br />the best fuji artiste of the year. They normally gave us the<br />award at the National Theatre, Lagos. General Babangida was<br />meant to be there but he was represented by the late General<br />Sani Abacha. When I was given the award, I dedicated it to<br />Babangida and since he was not present, I took the award to<br />the late Sani Abacha. When I gave him the award, he told me<br />that he learnt I was a soldier and I affirmed that. He asked<br />what rank I was before I was discharged and I told him.<br />Abacha then told me that I was a pride to the Nigerian Army<br />and with immediate effect, I should be ranked as a General in<br />music. Immediately he made the pronouncement, the hall<br />erupted with a thunderous clap.<br />Did you later get close to him when he became the Head of<br />State?<br />We saw once but since he locked Abiola in jail, I had to keep<br />my distance. I knew Abiola and I also knew Abacha, so I had<br />to be neutral.<br />At your age, you still dance very well. Where do you get the<br />energy from?<br />The energy is innate, I was born with it. I still have the energy<br />and if you see me perform, you would not believe that I am<br />the one. Whenever I perform in the US, people always marvel.<br />The energy is still there.<br />How did you meet the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister?<br />We met in 1964. We met through one of my band members,<br />Social Olajide. He was the one that brought Sikiru to my<br />house one evening. Before then, I had been hearing about<br />Sikiru and he had also been hearing my name around town<br />but I was based in Ebutte-Meta while he was living in Mushin.<br />When Olajide brought Sikiru to my house for the first time and<br />introduced him to me, we immediately hugged each other and<br />that was how our friendship began. We became so close that<br />when I joined the military, he always came to visit me. I<br />eventually lured him into the Army as well. Whenever he came<br />back from the war front, he would always come and stay in<br />my house. He was the one that suggested that we should quit<br />the Army and make music a full time career. At first, I was<br />scared because I thought we were too old. I also expressed<br />scepticism because there was no soldier that was into music<br />back then. I felt if we got caught, we would be severely<br />punished but he went ahead to begin practice in Mushin.<br />Whenever he came back, he normally advised me to resume<br />practice but I always told him I was afraid because our<br />barracks was one of the most disciplined barracks in the<br />country. Sikiru advised that I should write a letter to the<br />orderly room maybe they would permit me to go out of the<br />barracks for music practice and when I tried it, my request<br />was granted.<br />Till Barrister died, a lot of people believed both of you were<br />enemies…<br />We were not enemies. We quarrelled like any friend would do<br />and after each quarrel, we always settled it. We were so close<br />that whenever my child or his was getting married, we always<br />wore the same attire. The issue of fighting among singers did<br />not start with us. Our elders in the industry also had issues<br />with one another that led to quarrelling at a point in time.<br />Some of them settled their rift before they died while others<br />went to the grave with it. There was a time King Sunny Ade<br />and Ebenezer Obey also had their rift. It is part of music. In<br />fact, I hear that the young lads singing hip-hop also quarrel<br />among themselves; so it is inevitable. Sometimes we also do<br />it to sell our albums.<br />Many people believed that you were able to sell millions of<br />copies of your album, Ijo yoyo, because you used mystical or<br />diabolical powers …<br />That is where some people make the mistakes of their lives.<br />When I released the album, Ijo yoyo, I was terribly sick. I did<br />not enjoy the time at all, I was always on my sick bed. People<br />were looking for me to engage me to perform for them but I<br />could not. The song was given to me by God, I did not do<br />anything extra.<br />But till date, people believe you and the late Barrister<br />achieved such fame and success through metaphysical<br />powers…<br />No. We did nothing of such. If someone should do such a<br />thing, you would know because his downfall would be glaring<br />for the world to see. It is God that made me popular.<br />There were rumours last year that you were very sick and had<br />to sell off some of your houses to look after your health, how<br />true is that?<br />I don’t know what to say about it. People exaggerate a lot.<br />What kind of sickness would make me sell my houses? I don’t<br />have a terminal illness. People fall ill all the time and are<br />treated. I have never fallen ill to the extent that I would have<br />to sell off all my property. I go for medical check-up a lot but<br />if any journalist sees you in the hospital, even if it is because<br />you went to see a friend, they would say you are in a coma.<br />Do I look sick to you? I am jumping and marching in front of<br />you now, can a very sick man do that? I do exercise every<br />morning. The training I got as a soldier is still there. Once a<br />soldier, always a soldier.<br />In the course of your career, did you pick up any vice?<br />I attempted drinking alcohol about 25 years ago but I realised<br />it did not go down well with my body system, so I stopped. I<br />don’t smoke cigarette neither do I take Indian hemp.<br />But men are known to indulge in either wine or women, which<br />is yours?<br />I like women. No man can say he does not like women, not to<br />talk of a musician.<br />We learnt that women used to ‘chase’ you when you were at<br />the peak of your career…<br />Up until now, women still chase me. I am a man.<br />At your age, do you still consider their advances?<br />Of course, I indulge them when they are making such<br />advances at me and if they give me a chance, I would do<br />times two of what they are asking for.<br />Why did you not pay Salawa Abeni a visit when she was<br />seriously ill?<br />I later went to visit her. The reason why I did not go initially<br />was because I didn’t think it was right for me to read such<br />news about her on the pages of the newspapers first. My<br />children are with her and she was supposed to send one of<br />them to me to inform me that she was ill. I don’t go to places<br />that I am not invited. I later went to see her anyway.<br />Is there any possibility of both of you living under the same<br />roof as husband and wife?<br />We are husband and wife. She does not have a child for<br />anybody else other than myself. I am her bona fide owner and<br />we are together till death do us part. It does not matter if we<br />live under the same roof or not, she is still my wife.<br />We learnt that you played ‘baba ijebu’ lotto and won millions<br />of money, how true is it?<br />It is an absolute lie. I swear to God I don’t even know what<br />the paper they use to play ‘Baba Ijebu’ looks like. I don’t<br />gamble. I am not against those that play it but I have never<br />indulged in such. People have been peddling that rumour for<br />over five years. Whenever I hear such, I just laugh. I don’t<br />even know who Baba Ijebu is and I doubt he knows me.<br />With all the rumours and controversies that have trailed you,<br />has there been anytime you regretted being a public figure?<br />I have never regretted it because I know that is how it<br />happens all over the world. It is only that I am not free to<br />move around like normal people. Before you know it, a crowd<br />would have gathered just to see me.<br />We learnt that there is a rift between you and K1?<br />It is not true. There is no rift between us. K1 has been my son<br />in music for many years before the death of his master,<br />Barrister. People carry rumours that he says certain things<br />about me but if such is the matter, I will handle it with<br />maturity. There is no rift between us. When he was giving<br />away his daughter in marriage, I went. He also invited me to<br />his K1 Unusual Concert and I was there. I am the father of all<br />fuji musicians in Nigeria. Anywhere they play fuji music in the<br />whole world as the last man standing among my<br />contemporaries, I would be recognised. I am their father.<br />You sang about a lady, Taiyelolu, how is she?<br />I loved her then when I sang about her. I loved her then but<br />not anymore. She misbehaved, so I left her. She has been in<br />London with my children for over 20 years. We are no more<br />together.<br />Do we see you falling in love again?<br />That is a tough question. Although it is tough, I am still a<br />man; therefore I am capable of still falling in love.<br />Are you planning any collaboration with the new generation of<br />artistes?<br />Yes, we are considering doing a collaboration with Olamide. I<br />am also working on my forthcoming album.

even in my 60s, Women still chase me –Kollington

Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington Veteran fuji musician, Ayinla Kollington, shares his life experiences in this interview with ‘Nonye...

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Shy men make better lovers –Study

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Shy-men-make-better-lovers-360x336.jpg "><br />It is no gainsaying that most women prefer dating men who<br />appear confident and outspoken, not necessarily because such<br />men are better lovers, but partly because they exhibit an aura<br />of protection, safety and reliability for their spouses.<br />Notably, shy men may not be every woman’s preference<br />maybe because they appear calm and non-aggressive in<br />situations that demand absolute exhibition of their manliness,<br />but it now appears that women who prefer dating the macho<br />men to shy men may be missing out on the best possible<br />mate or the company of a better lover. This is because studies<br />have shown that men who are shy are better lovers.<br />No doubt, the natural attraction of females to ‘confident’ men<br />has compelled some men to ‘come out of their shell’ in order<br />to impress women, more so because they sometimes have to<br />prove their masculinity with some bold and dramatic displays.<br />However, if the findings of these studies are anything to go by,<br />women who are in relationships with shy men should count<br />themselves lucky for being in the company of better mates.<br />Some biologists at the Plymouth University, United Kingdom,<br />found that men who shy the most do have the most to offer<br />their potential lover.<br />One of the researchers, Prof. Mark Briffa, who is a marine ­<br />animal behaviour scientist in the university, likened men to<br />hermit crabs, pointing out that the most timid or shy crabs<br />tend to have more high quality sperm, making them a better<br />option for females.<br />The findings of the study, published in Daily Mail, revealed<br />that crabs that spend more time in their shells have invariably<br />invested more time and resources in becoming reproductively<br />fit, saying their finding was in contrast with the idea that the<br />most productive individuals should be the boldest. Thus,<br />according to the study, shy men who may not readily talk<br />spend more time on things that could make them better,<br />which invariably would make them better lovers.<br />In some other reports to buttress the point that there are<br />several benefits in dating a shy guy, a post on<br />allwomenstalk.com showed that the main challenge shy men<br />have is that their spouses may need to work harder to get<br />some information out of them because they usually do not<br />readily share information about themselves. Also people tend<br />to have a wrong perception of who they really are. This is<br />unlike the ‘confident’ guy who would want to talk about his<br />past, present and future. The report added that the men who<br />are ‘confident’ tend to be more possessive and talk a lot<br />about themselves. It added that such men could put off some<br />possible lovers with their actions for being too forward and<br />dominating conversations.<br />According to the post, shy guys are also more sincere than<br />the outspoken guys because they think deeply about their<br />words beforehand and are more careful in their expression<br />than those who are not and are usually ready to talk as soon<br />as situations present themselves. Also, shy men were found to<br />be less intimidating than their ‘confident partners’, who would<br />want everyone around to feel that they are more than they<br />truly are. It added that shy guys who may rarely talk would<br />only talk when convinced and definite about what to say and<br />not to impress, noting that the ‘confident’ men would want to<br />introduce or advertise themselves at all times, which may not<br />be the true picture of who they truly are.<br />“They are considerate and are more likely to consider the<br />impact of their words and actions on their partner, hence,<br />making them a preferred spouse. Also, they are less likely to<br />cheat, not only because women tend not to consider them for<br />relationship but also because they focus their attention on<br />more productive things rather than chasing women,” it added.<br />For women who love rapt attention and a listening man to talk<br />to, no one does it better than shy men because they usually<br />don’t and are not always eager to dominate conversations.<br />Rather, they listen well and only talk when they feel like or<br />when they have something better or interesting to say. This,<br />accordingly, implies that shy men respect the feelings and<br />opinions of others. According to the post, shy men have been<br />found to make valuable contributions in a group discussion<br />because they spend more time meditating, and are not in a<br />hurry to speak. Beyond these, it was also revealed that shy<br />guys are more receptive, all making them a better lover.<br />In summarising the benefits of dating a shy man, another<br />report on amerikanki.com, said, “It’s believed that girls tend<br />to talk much more than guys, but every now and then, even<br />women need a person that can just keep silent and listen to<br />them. They want to talk more and be listened to and any man<br />who can afford them such would readily score some point.<br />“A shy man will never act artificially and his words always<br />correspond to his thoughts and women can be sure that the<br />shy guy means exactly what he says. Indeed, it’s a good<br />reason to date a shy guy.<br />“Shy guys aren’t so talkative and probably most ladies will<br />have to make great efforts to get along with them, just that if<br />such men choose to talk, they are sincere and their words are<br />meaningful and they don’t bother their partner with annoying<br />questions. Even if they have to reject people or their opinion,<br />they do it in a polite manner.<br /><img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Shy-men-make-better-lovers1.jpg "><br />“These imply that shy guys shouldn’t be ignored at all<br />because dating a shy guy is all about advantages and these<br />are only a few of them. If you want an attentive, careful<br />person, dating a shy guy is definitely a right idea, even if they<br />are not the readily combat-ready men.”<br />Thus, the studies and posts pointed out that a man with such<br />traits as highlighted and discussed above tends to be a better<br />lover.<br />Commenting on the study, a professor of psychology, Toba<br />Elegbeleye, said shy guys could be categorised as introverts,<br />and that they are people who like to be quiet, studious and<br />alone, not for the fear of publicity but for them to exhibit their<br />internal qualities.<br />He pointed out that such people have fantastic inner qualities<br />and they usually believe that they are the only ones that<br />understand their personality better.<br />He said, “They are very hardworking and intelligent people<br />because they are able to explore all their internal qualities. So,<br />it may not be wrong if somebody concludes that they are<br />better lovers because they have the patience to live with and<br />correct their partners in love if there is need.<br />“Also, they can see what an ordinary extroverted person won’t<br />see because they pay attention to details, they know more<br />than they speak out, so, these may make them a good lover.<br />They may be able to accommodate all the inconsistencies that<br />come from their partner.<br />“They usually have internal resilience that makes them<br />consider issues several times before they take action, and<br />most of such actions cannot be faulted. These qualities may<br />make them better lovers.”

Shy men make better lovers –Study

It is no gainsaying that most women prefer dating men who appear confident and outspoken, not necessarily because such men are better lovers...

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What will you do if politicians offer you money for votes?

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Respondents2-360x341.jpg "><br />Respondents<br />In the build-up to the 2015 elections, there have been various<br />reports of politicians going about inducing voters with money<br />and gifts to gain votes. Saturday PUNCH went out to ask<br />some Nigerians what they would do if any candidate<br />approached them with money in order to gain their votes<br />The money would be for my upkeep<br />Mrs. Olayinka Bakare, unemployed<br />I have a PVC but I am not ready to go out and vote on<br />election day. The only thing that would make me leave my<br />house on election day is if I am promised a job and if there is<br />assurance that it is not just another promise that would go<br />unfulfilled. I have been jobless since last year and things have<br />really been hard for me. I started a business last year when I<br />lost my job. I was selling meat but the business also folded<br />up later. Now, I don’t even know what to do. Voting is the last<br />thing on my mind. So, if anybody gives me money to vote for<br />him, that money would be for my upkeep, not voting.<br />I will never collect money to vote<br />Mrs. Bolaji Tiamiyu, Trader<br />No matter what anybody pays me, I would not change my<br />mind about who I would vote for. I have realised that<br />politicians are liars. I am not ready to sell my vote. How can I<br />sell my vote when I know that they would end up deceiving<br />me? I have been told that our votes are powerful and I am<br />ready to use it to fight for my right. I will go out and vote but<br />would never collect anybody’s money to change my mind.<br />It’s an insult to offer me money<br />Idris Abu, anti-corruption crusader<br />I would not vote on sentiment and neither would I vote based<br />on pecuniary benefit. I have been carrying my PVC on me<br />since I got it because I know how important it is. I would not<br />change my mind about my candidate for any reason. I am not<br />one of those people who vote without genuine reasons. I have<br />weighed my options and made a choice about who to vote for<br />based on those reasons. It will even be an insult for anybody<br />to offer me money for me to change my mind on who to vote<br />for.<br />I can’t sell my children’s future<br />Mrs. Kehinde Adejare, plantain seller<br />I would not collect money to vote for someone, ever. This<br />election is a destiny vote. I have to ensure that I don’t sell my<br />children’s destiny. I cannot collect peanut just to vote for<br />someone and my children begin to suffer in the future. I would<br />only be destroying their future and I cannot do that. If we all<br />sell our votes, bad people would continue to stay in power and<br />we would continue to be poor. I sell food by the roadside. I<br />want my life to improve and I cannot contribute to my own<br />poverty.<br />Nobody can bribe me<br />Abimbola Arike, trader<br />I am ready to vote and would never sell my vote. I am not<br />hungry to the extent of collecting money so that I can change<br />my mind. Nothing will make me change my mind about who to<br />vote for. I am not contented with where I am but I cannot<br />blame politicians because they do their best. It is my right to<br />vote for whoever I like. This is why nobody would bribe me<br />into voting for them.<br />I’ll not collect it<br />Alex O, musician<br />I think the most important thing is whether I believe in the<br />policies the candidate is selling. If the person’s policies make<br />sense to me, that is the person I would vote for. Some people<br />might take the money and still vote for whoever they want to<br />vote for because nobody would be there when you are voting.<br />It boils down to who you think can give you what you are<br />looking for. I would not collect the money because I would<br />vote based on who I believe would make the country a better<br />place.<br />My vote not for sale<br />Wale Adebayo, actor<br />Basically my vote is meant to be mine and it is not for sale. I<br />am going to vote based on what I believe in and it does not<br />matter if he becomes the wrong person at the end of the day.<br />I would vote for a person I believe can give me what I think I<br />want. My political views have to be in alignment with the<br />person’s own. Whether I collect money from him does not<br />matter as long as I vote based on my ideals and principles.<br />The person would practically be wasting his money, especially<br />if I was not even planning to vote for him to begin with. I<br />thought that we should have gone past using money to induce<br />people to get votes. I will reject the money.<br />I have always rejected such<br />Foluke Daramola, actress<br />I have been offered money several times which I rejected but I<br />will not mention names. I don’t do such because I am voting<br />for my conscience, my future, and I am voting for change.<br />That is what I am voting for and not because of money. At the<br />end of the day, the money will finish. We need a restructuring<br />in our system, our industry and in Nigeria as a whole for the<br />future of our children. I will never compromise my stand or<br />integrity for money.<br />I will reject it<br />Fidelis Duker, filmmaker<br />Personally my vote is not for money. I think we have got to a<br />point in Nigeria where we would decide a leader without being<br />induced by anything. I will not accept money from anybody to<br />vote; I will rather reject it. I want to vote based on my<br />conscience. We have got to a point where the polity is heated<br />up and it is good. It is now obvious to politicians that you<br />cannot take Nigerians for granted. That is the beauty of this<br />election. Whoever wins would know that for the next four<br />years, he has to work hard, if not he would be kicked out by<br />the people. People would vote based on their conscience and<br />look beyond propaganda and lies. People now know better and<br />the best man among them would win. Definitely, I will not<br />subscribe to collecting money.<br />It is tempting but I won’t take it<br />Evaezi, actress<br />If it happens that he is the person that I want to vote for, then<br />it is okay but if it is not the person that I want to vote for,<br />then too bad for the person. I would vote based on my<br />principles and ideologies. I would vote based on who I feel<br />would make the country a better place. As for the money, I<br />would not want to be a hypocrite and say I will not collect the<br />money. It is quite tempting. Even if I collect the money, he<br />would not know that I did not vote for him. Although<br />collecting the money seems very tempting, I doubt I would<br />take it.<br />I will collect the money but won’t vote for them<br />Seyi Coker, Businessman<br />I will collect the money but I won’t vote for the person if he’s<br />not my candidate. If I let the money influence who I vote for, it<br />will be like buying my entire life for filth; it’s nonsense. It’s<br />like selling my right and I can’t sell my right to anyone. My<br />conscience will not be at peace if I go ahead and vote for the<br />person if I’m not convinced that he will perform well in the<br />position.<br />If the amount is not insulting, I will collect<br />Uwem Umoh, Businessman<br />I will collect the money, provided it is not derogatory or<br />insulting. By that I mean if the money is not just a small<br />amount of money. Then, I would still definitely and<br />courageously and convincingly vote my choice of candidate. It<br />doesn’t matter that I collected money or not.<br />If I don’t collect it, I will lose<br />Mrs. Florence Thomas, Trader<br />In Nigeria of today, if anybody gives me money, I will accept it<br />but it doesn’t mean I will vote for him. If I don’t collect the<br />money, then I will be the one who will lose. After all, no one<br />will know who I vote for since no one will be at the polling<br />booth with me when I cast my vote. No candidate has brought<br />anything to my area in Shomolu, Lagos this year but I heard<br />some candidates have been distributing umbrellas around<br />here. During past elections, they shared everything here- rice,<br />money and so on. I collected everything and still voted for the<br />candidate of my choice.<br />I have my job<br />Abbas Samuel, Businessman<br />No, I won’t accept any money from any candidate who wants<br />me to vote for him or her. What if I collect the money and the<br />candidate ends up to be a terrible public servant. We need<br />good leaders who will take us to the promised land. No<br />amount of money will sway me and make me vote against my<br />conscience. So I won’t collect money from anyone since I<br />have a job. If I didn’t have a job, it would be another matter.<br />Any money I collect will only last me for a day or so, so why<br />sell my vote?<br />It’s corruption<br />Chinwe Ndu, office assistant<br />I can’t accept money from any candidate; it’s corruption. No,<br />it is very wrong. It’s like selling my right, so I won’t do it.<br />What we need in this country are people who will do what the<br />people want when they get into offices. I will vote for the<br />candidates that I believe will do the things the masses want,<br />not people who will go there to steal our money.<br />No matter the amount, I won’t collect<br />Gozie Irobie, singer<br />My vote is supposed to speak for me. There is no way I would<br />collect anybody’s money. Collecting money is not even the<br />issue. We just have to vote during this election. I am not<br />going to collect any money; no matter the amount I am paid. I<br />just have to perform my civic responsibilities and that is it.<br />I will take it because it is our money<br />Bethel Okorie, Musician<br />Everybody needs money, so if any candidate offers me money<br />to vote for him, I will collect it and vote for the candidate of<br />my choice. Before I vote, I look at the antecedents, profiles<br />and promises of the candidates before deciding on who to<br />vote for. No one can buy my conscience; the future of my<br />family, my children, generations yet unborn and my own are at<br />stake. I’ve seen politicians promise heaven on earth and then<br />do nothing. Many of them are there for business; they offer<br />people money because of what they know they will get there.<br />Some of them are being sponsored by godfathers who are<br />looking at getting their money back once their candidates win.<br />So if I collect the money, I’m actually collecting our money<br />that they have looted.<br />Anyone that does that disqualifies himself<br />Gbenga Bada, Senior Associate, Pulse.ng<br />Candidates who offer electorate cash in exchange for votes<br />have firstly displayed an act of malpractice and corruption. A<br />credible and confident candidate would lure me to the polls to<br />vote for him or her by giving me convincing plans on how to<br />improve the state of the nation and plans for a better future.<br />Thus, I would reject the cash but vote the candidate I deem fit<br />to lead me and provide a better future.<br />How can I reject money?<br />Seun Oloketuyi, CEO, Best of Nollywood<br />I would definitely collect the money. Lai Lai! How can I reject<br />the money? Is it not our money? But that said, I would still<br />vote who my conscience advises me to vote, I would still vote<br />for the credible person.<br />I will reject it<br />Blessing Desmond, businesswoman<br />I will certainly not accept such money. No matter the reason, I<br />cannot do that. Selling my votes is just the same as selling<br />my future and those of my children. I would reject the money<br />and vote for the right person.<br />I will collect it but I won’t change my mind<br />David Unah, businessman<br />Nobody can induce me with money to vote for them. I would<br />vote for whoever my conscience tells me to vote for and that I<br />know that has good plans for us as a country. But if the<br />person pressures me into collecting the money, I will pocket it<br />and still vote for the candidate of my choice; after all he or<br />she won’t be there at the point of casting the ballot.<br />I will never collect it<br />Aniekan Reuben, businessman<br />Nobody can use money to change my mind. I would vote for<br />the candidate and party I support, no matter how huge the<br />money anybody is trying to offer me. I will never collect it. I<br />am from Akwa Ibom State and I strongly believe in the party I<br />support and all the candidates. So, as far as I am concerned,<br />nobody can use money to change my mind.

What will you do if politicians offer you money for votes?

Respondents In the build-up to the 2015 elections, there have been various reports of politicians going about inducing voters with money and...

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Embarrassment in Tunis (II)

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Segun-Agbede.jpg "><br />I didn’t intend to write a follow up to last week’s column but<br />subsequent events have dictated I do so.<br />It’s no longer news that Dolphins were walked over by<br />Tunisia’s Club Africain, it’s the prevailing circumstances<br />surrounding the walk over that makes the story still relevant.<br />The question to be asked here, is what brought about the<br />walkover in the first place? Has the immediate root cause of it<br />been identified? If so, have the pertinent issues been<br />resolved?<br />By sheer coincidence, I’d dedicated my last few columns to<br />improving the welfare of the GLO Premier League players. I<br />never envisaged that players’ welfare (or a lack of) would<br />actually cost a team their continental spot, without kicking a<br />ball. Which in this day and age is beyond shameful. For the<br />record and this might sound harsh to Dolphins fans, I honestly<br />believe that the walkover was a blessing in disguise. Club<br />Africain, based on Dolphins’ performances in pre season (not<br />a particularly accurate indication of a club’s form to be fair<br />but a useful indicator) and their start to the league season,<br />would have beaten them home and away.<br />This whole situation was a disaster waiting to happen. From<br />the players refusing to board the team bus in Port Harcourt,<br />thereby missing their Thursday night flight. To Dolphins<br />informing the Nigerian Football Federation that they missed<br />their flight, along with a request that the match be shifted by<br />24 hours. Apparently the NFF complied with the request and<br />informed CAF that Dolphins would be arriving in Tunis late<br />without requesting a shift in the kick-off for the game. As I<br />have said earlier, even if the match had been shifted by a<br />week, I doubt if Dolphins would have got a positive result due<br />to their poor recent run of form.<br />The main reason I’m writing this addendum to my last column<br />was a report during the week that the players apologised to<br />their club management for their role in the walkover. I thought<br />to myself, this is manifestly unfair, aren’t these chaps the<br />aggrieved party? Since when did the victim start appealing to<br />the aggressor? From what I gathered, the players initial grouse<br />was on the amount of their travel allowance or estacode,<br />which was supposed to be a previously agreed amount of $<br />1,000. This amount was now slashed to $500, much to the<br />players chagrin. One must also take into consideration the<br />players are still being owed at least five months’ salary. How<br />on earth does anyone expect them to perform on the pitch?<br />Where lies the motivation, when the basic covenant between<br />employer and employee is not being met? It’s an abnormal<br />state of affairs which can only serve to further tarnish the<br />image of the club and everybody associated with it. As an<br />employer of labour, you must pay an employee for services<br />rendered. This should serve as a lesson to all other clubs in<br />the domestic league, there’s a price to play for taking the<br />most important members of your organisation for granted.<br />Without the playing staff, there is no football.<br />It’s just a pity that it took Dolphins being walked over to<br />understand that.<br />The future is rosy for the Flying Eagles<br />I’m not a big fan of age-grade football. The basic essence of<br />age-grade football competition is developmental. To see the<br />cadet footballer grow into a full-fledged international. Some<br />do, like Nduka Ugbade, assistant coach of the Flying Eagles,<br />who as captain of the victorious China ’85 FIFA Under 17<br />World Cup Golden Eagles – and represented Nigeria at every<br />level of football. Unfortunately, age-grade tournaments have<br />been abused. After our wonderful successes in 1985 and 1993,<br />football administrators in the country, having stumbled upon a<br />sure method of success, started to distort the process by<br />fielding men as boys. We have paid for that ever since. You<br />can’t cheat nature. If 25 years old men parade themselves as<br />17 years old boys, they may very well win the tournament but<br />they end up truncating their own progress.<br />The new African Under-20 champions Flying Eagles seem to<br />be ploughing a different furrow. The bulk of this team was<br />promoted from the reigning Under-17 World champions, the<br />Golden Eaglets. Based on how the Flying Eagles progress at<br />the Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand in June, some of<br />these lads are ready to step up to the senior national team.<br />We have all seen the exploits of Tottenham’s 21-year-old<br />Harry Kane in the English Premier League, which earned him<br />his first cap. There are many Harry Kanes in Nigeria. He<br />represented England at U19 and U21. Bernard Bulbwa’s<br />winning goal against Senegal in the Under-20 Africa Youth<br />Championship final in Dakar on Sunday is the best I have seen<br />in 2015. There’s a saying in football, if you’re good enough,<br />you’re old enough.<br />It’s time to give youth a chance.

Embarrassment in Tunis (II)

I didn’t intend to write a follow up to last week’s column but subsequent events have dictated I do so. It’s no longer news that Dolphins we...

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Kevin Hart: Comedian talks about Texas disgrace

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Kevin-Hart-360x410.jpg "><br />Actor and comedian, Kevin Hart, is a big University of Texas<br />athletics fan, but after a recent visit to the UT campus, he’s<br />probably going to keep his support on the sidelines.<br />Hart appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live at South By Southwest<br />in Austin this week, and told a hilarious story about working<br />out with the Texas football team.<br />Initially, Hart thought he was going to be alone in the weight<br />room, but quickly realised he was going to go through the<br />same type of training the football team endures in the spring.<br />It didn’t end well.<br />Hart said after the workout he threw up on a wall outside the<br />weight room and then ran before anyone could pin the mess<br />on him.<br />The real Hart<br />Hart was born on July 6, 1979, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.<br />He was raised by his mother, Nancy Hart, who took on the<br />role of single parent as a result of her husband’s chronic<br />battles with cocaine and the law. His father, Henry Robert<br />Witherspoon, a cocaine addict, was in and out of jail<br />throughout most of his childhood. Kevin used his natural<br />ability to make people laugh as a coping mechanism to deal<br />with his family struggles and to stay out of trouble. He has<br />one elder brother, Robert.<br />As a coping mechanism, the young Hart found humour to fight<br />back the pain of his childhood. Henry has since cleaned up his<br />life, and father and son have reconnected.<br />The experience of those tough years would later provide a<br />source for much of Hart’s comedy. “The jokes,” he has said of<br />his stand-up, “come from a real experience.”<br />Kevin has mentioned in his stand-up act that he had a<br />difficult relationship with his father. His father’s addiction to<br />cocaine for many years caused great strain on their<br />relationship. He speaks lovingly of his mother, portraying her<br />as a loving, yet intimidating woman, but unfortunately, she<br />died of cancer in 2007.<br />As a boy, Hart was obsessed with stand-up comedy and<br />comedians in general.<br />He attended George Washington High School in Philadelphia<br />before moving to New York City to pursue his career in<br />comedy. Kevin took classes at community college for two<br />years and after graduating, he focused on having a career in<br />comedy. But before he made it as a full time comedian, Kevin<br />took series of odd jobs, including as a shoe salesman.<br />Hart has since featured in about 20 TV shows, and over 30<br />movies.<br />He was in ‘Scary Movie 3’, ‘The 40-Year-Old-Virgin’, ‘Scary<br />Movie 4’, ‘Fool’s Gold’, ‘Meet Dave’, ‘Little Fockers’, and ‘The<br />Five-Year Engagement’. He’s also won a string of awards.<br />You might be surprised to know that this massive star is only<br />5ft 2inches tall. He uses his height to his advantage though<br />as he often jokes about his height in his comedy shows.<br />Kevin Hart is showing some pretty impressive signs of going<br />from strength to strength, with the ‘Real Husbands of<br />Hollywood’ quite literally making him one of the highest paid<br />people in the industry. There was also a movie he starred in<br />alongside Ice Cube called ‘Ride Along’ that bagged over $75m<br />(about N14bn).<br />After that, his net worth is reported to be about $50m<br />(N9.5bn).<br />Of course, part of what makes up his money is from the sales<br />of his hilarious comedy DVD’s, with ‘Seriously Funny’ being<br />one of the fastest selling DVD in recent years. Add to this, ‘Let<br />Me Explain’ roped in a whopping $27m (N51bn) gross (and he<br />was reported to have made $4m from it).<br />Thanks to high-grossing gigs and multi-platinum sales of his<br />DVD, ‘Laugh at My Pain’, which grossed over $8m since its<br />release, Hart is climbing Forbes’ list as well. The comedian is<br />also gaining attention in Hollywood with a roster of upcoming<br />films and recent roles in hits like ‘Think Like A Man’ and ‘This<br />Is The End’.<br />He’s been endorsing brands like Nike and Ford Motor<br />Company. He’s also now one of the famous faces of iTunes<br />and Apple.<br />Kevin was married to a fellow comedian named Torrei from<br />2003 to 2010. They had two children together but ultimately<br />separated. Kevin said that the marriage fell apart because of<br />irreconcilable differences. During their divorce proceedings,<br />Torrei reportedly asked the judge to have Hart pay her a<br />whopping $90,000 (about N17m) a month as child support.<br />Hart is engaged to model, Eniko Parrish.<br />On April 14, 2013, Hart was arrested on suspicion of drunk<br />driving after his black Mercedes nearly collided with a tanker<br />truck on a Southern California freeway. He failed a field<br />sobriety test and was booked for misdemeanour DUI. On<br />August 5, 2013, Hart was sentenced to three years’ probation<br />after pleading no contest to one count of driving under the<br />influence of alcohol.<br />Hart has been spotted driving a black Mercedes-Benz SLS.<br />The roadster is a luxury 2-seat, front engine, grand tourer<br />sports car, which comes fitted with a V8, 6.2L, DOHC engine<br />with 7 speed semi-automatic, dual clutch transmission. The<br />car can reach highest speed limit of 211.3 mph. Fuel economy<br />rate of this luxurious roadster is 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg<br />city. Aluminium metallic exterior body with matte paint finish<br />creates a stylish appearance. Internally, the compact cabin<br />offers adequate leg and head space to enjoy comfortable ride.<br />Climate controllable AC, modern audio system with Bose<br />speakers, auto-adjustable front as well rear seats, accidental<br />brake control, and leather upholstery. His other cars include a<br />Lamborghini, a Ferrari and Mercedes Benz G-wagon.<br />Hart lives in a posh mansion in Los Angeles, California, with<br />his family.

Kevin Hart: Comedian talks about Texas disgrace

Actor and comedian, Kevin Hart, is a big University of Texas athletics fan, but after a recent visit to the UT campus, he’s probably going t...

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Concerns as American police hasten to shoot blacks

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/shot-dead-360x229.jpg "><br />Inside a park on a cold afternoon of November 22, 2014, in<br />Cleveland, Ohio, a 12-year-old boy pulled his toy gun to play<br />in the breezy weather. He walked playfully along the park<br />alley, pointing his toy at passersby. A weary park visitor,<br />scared the child may be carrying a deadly weapon at a public<br />park, called the police to report that a child was “pulling a gun<br />in and out of his pants and pointing it at people.” The caller,<br />after noticing that the gun the child was carrying was a toy,<br />called back the 911 operator to say that the boy was only<br />holding a toy but it was too late. The police had dispatched<br />its patrol men on duty. Few minutes later, the team arrived at<br />the park where the black child was innocently mesmerising<br />park goers with his holstered toy gun. Two seconds after the<br />officers arrived, one of the responding officers, Timothy<br />Loehmann, pulled his gun, engaged his fingers on the trigger<br />and fired at the child. The child fell on the ground. His 14-<br />year-old sister that had accompanied him to the park to play,<br />rushed towards the fallen brother, but police restrained her.<br />The men handcuffed the sister. She would watch her brother<br />struggle to stay alive as police stood beside a dying child,<br />waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Several minutes later, the<br />ambulance arrived and rushed him to the hospital emergency<br />room for treatment. The child, Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old<br />African-American died the next morning.<br />Cameroonian immigrant, Charly “Africa” Leundeu Keunang was<br />convicted in 2000 for bank robbery. Three years into his 15-<br />year sentence, he was transferred to a psychiatric prison<br />hospital due to mental health illness and subsequently<br />released into the streets of Los Angeles. He became a<br />destitute and homeless, pitching his tent along any busy street<br />in Los Angeles. On March 1, passersby reported a fight along<br />the sidewalks of the busy street involving Keunang. Five<br />officers responded to the call. The officers approached<br />Keunang and a fight ensued. He was fatally shot during<br />struggle with the police. The fatal altercation that resulted in<br />the death of the unarmed homeless black man in the hands of<br />the Los Angeles police department attracted major protests<br />from blacks in the vicinity of the incident and also around the<br />Los Angeles police department yard.<br />Mariam Carey was a 34-year-old single mother who lived in<br />Washington D.C. On October 3, 2013, Ms. Carey was driving<br />along Pennsylvania Avenue when she suddenly realised that<br />she might be travelling the wrong path. She drove into a white<br />house road block. Panicked, with her child in the back seat,<br />she quickly attempted a U-Turn. During the U-Turn, she<br />allegedly hit a barricade and a secret service in front of the<br />White House. A chase ensued between her and the secret<br />service; the police surrounded and cornered her, then shot her<br />five times. She died on the scene. She was unarmed. Her<br />daughter was sitting in the back seat. The US Attorney’s office<br />refused to press charges on the officers and agents.<br />These cases are part of the more than 1,217 deadly police<br />shootings from 2010 to 2014 captured in the federal data.<br />Blacks between the ages of 15 and 19 were killed at a rate of<br />31.17 per million, while just 1.47 per million white males in<br />that age range died at the hands of police.<br />Within the past seven years, a white police officer has targeted<br />blacks for fatal shooting at the ratio of two blacks per week.<br />This statistics is contained in the most recent accounts of<br />justifiable homicide by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.<br />“On average, there were 96 such incidents among at least 400<br />police killings each year that were reported to the FBI by local<br />police.”<br />The number of police killings of unarmed black Americans<br />seems to have increased within the past year. Sadly, most of<br />the shootings absolve police and leave families to mourn the<br />death of their innocent children caught in what is regarded as<br />a polarised racial killing of blacks by mostly overzealous,<br />trigger happy white police officers.<br />Since last summer’s killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown in<br />Ferguson, one of the most celebrated cases and unrests in the<br />United States, several police related deaths have been<br />reported involving white officers shooting black people.<br />Another major case was a New Yorker, Eric Gardner who was<br />choked to death while police were attempting to restrain him.<br />Officers involved in these killings have either been suspended<br />or reduced to desk duties or as in the case of Officer Darren<br />Wilson who shot Brown in Ferguson and The New York police<br />officer that choked Gardner to death, not indicted.<br />The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in its recent<br />data compilation concluded that black people or persons of<br />colour are most likely to be killed by cops. The crime news<br />trends on the television screen, these days with reports of<br />police shooting mostly black unarmed citizens. The case of<br />Rumaim Brisbon, an Arizona native provided an insight into<br />police rush to self defence, a ‘shoot now and ask questions<br />later’ mentality. Earlier this year, someone reported a drug<br />deal in the neighbourhood where Brisbon resided. Police<br />approached his vehicle, screamed at him to raise his hands in<br />the air as police approached his vehicle. Brisbon got off his<br />vehicle. He suddenly began running from the scene towards<br />the street. Police began a chase on foot, pulling weapons and<br />pointing towards Brisbon. As Brisbon reached his pocket<br />during the chase to remove the bottle of pills in his pocket and<br />discard them, police shot him. The officer later explained that<br />he had fired a shot because he thought Brisbon had a gun.<br />The gun was a bottle of pills. He died instantly.<br />Keith Vidal was an 18-year-old schizophrenic living in<br />Southport, North Carolina. He was in the middle of an attack<br />episode when neighbours noticed his sudden changed<br />conditions and called the police. When police arrived his<br />home, they found Keith engaged in schizophrenic episode,<br />carrying a screw driver. Two officers that came as first<br />respondents approached him calmly and tried to calm him<br />down. A third officer suddenly walked into the scene and<br />fatally shot the teenager, alleging that, “We don’t have time<br />for this shit.” He shot the mentally ill teenager to death.<br />The Department of Justice last month began to call out<br />corrupt police departments in some United States cities. It<br />began with a review of the Ferguson Police department where<br />it found during investigations that the Ferguson Police<br />department was a rogue outlaw where the cops and<br />authorities engage in unconstitutional practices and racial<br />profiling. This Monday, the department in a scathing report of<br />the Philadelphia Police department, accused the police of<br />commonly arresting black men in the city without reasonable<br />cause. The Justice department found that over the past eight<br />years, once a week, the Philadelphia Police department opened<br />fire at suspects 390 times. The shootings, D.O.J found,<br />involved 454 patrol police officers and suspects were always<br />black. The statistics were a strong insight into the use of<br />lethal and brutal force on blacks by a major city police<br />department in the United States Police law enforcement.

Concerns as American police hasten to shoot blacks

Inside a park on a cold afternoon of November 22, 2014, in Cleveland, Ohio, a 12-year-old boy pulled his toy gun to play in the breezy weath...

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Chelsea, Liverpool target Emenike

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Emenike.jpg "><br />Emmanuel Emenike<br />Emmanuel Emenike is planning to dump Turkish club<br />Fenerbache with his sights set on a move to England in the<br />summer, it has been learned.<br />Already, the 27-year-old has been linked with a move to<br />Premier League clubs Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham in the<br />summer.<br />According to reports, Chelsea are highly interested in the 2013<br />Africa Cup of Nations winner and could step up their interest in<br />the coming months.<br />Express.co.uk reported that the former Russia-based forward<br />was believed to have visited London during the week after not<br />being considered for Nigeria’s international friendlies against<br />Uganda and South Africa.<br />The Super Eagles striker is said to be unhappy with the racial<br />abuse he received from Fenerbahce fans in a recent game<br />against Besiktas and has decided to move elsewhere.<br />Emenike demanded to be substituted after coming in for abuse<br />from his own supporters in the encounter.<br />“Emenike is not happy with what he is going through with the<br />Fenerbahce fans. He is preparing his mind to be fit for a<br />possible summer move,” AfricanFootball.com quoted the<br />player’s confidant as saying during the week.<br />“He has lots of options which include teams from Italy, but<br />England looks like his next destination.”<br />The South Africa 2013 Africa Cup of Nations Golden Boot<br />winner, who is in his second spell at the club, has only scored<br />four goals in 22 league appearances this season for the title<br />contenders.<br />He joined the Turkish giants in 2011 but was linked to a<br />match-fixing scandal, though he was later cleared of any<br />involvement, joining Spartak before playing a game for the<br />Istanbul club.<br />The striker rejoined the club in 2013.<br />Meanwhile, West Brom striker Brown Ideye has urged the<br />England FA boss to reconsider his decision to amend the rules<br />that govern the number of non-EU players in each of the<br />Premier League teams.<br />The Nigeria international is of the opinion that the Premier<br />League must maintain a healthy balance between home-<br />grown players and foreign stars as the league is the toast of<br />many players outside the UK.<br />Speaking at a Kick It Out workshop at Bristnall Hall Academy<br />in Oldbury, Ideye said, “I feel bad about it because there are a<br />lot of talented players outside the UK who want to come to<br />the Premier League to play football<br />“The Premier League is where people want to play and want<br />to be so it’s a bit sad that things like this come up.<br />“But I guess they know what is good and they are doing the<br />right thing for them.<br />“I think making the team is what is important and here you<br />get foreigners and English players mixed together to get good<br />teams.<br />“That is good and I think it should be 50-50.”<br />England FA boss, Greg Dyke wants tighter restrictions to<br />ensure more English youngsters get their chance in the top<br />flight.

Chelsea, Liverpool target Emenike

Emmanuel Emenike Emmanuel Emenike is planning to dump Turkish club Fenerbache with his sights set on a move to England in the summer, it has...

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Keshi must listen to advice – Elaho

<img src=" http://punch.cdn.ng/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Stephen-Keshi-360x502.jpg "><br />Friday Elaho believes that Stephen Keshi would have guided<br />Nigeria to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea<br />if his former Super Eagles’ teammate had listened to advice.<br />The ex-Nigeria winger also says Keshi’s clash with the Nigeria<br />Football Federation – and the attacks from some sections of<br />the local media after the Eagles failed to qualify for the<br />tournament could have been avoided if he had not made<br />“people believe he is stubborn and doesn’t listen to advice”.<br />Nigeria blew a gilt-edged chance to seal their place at 2015<br />Equatorial Guinea after they battled to a 2-2 draw against<br />South Africa in their last group game in Uyo last November.<br />The NFF’s negotiation with Keshi for a new contract provoked<br />a storm of criticism and the ire of some Nigerians.<br />But, after nearly four months of frosty relationship between the<br />NFF and the former Togo manager over contractual terms, the<br />national football body announced during the week they had<br />agreed to give Keshi a new contract.<br />“The NFF executive committee met on Wednesday and finally<br />approved the recommendation of the technical committee for<br />Keshi to continue as the country’s coach,” BBC Sport quoted<br />Pinnick as saying.<br />“We believe he deserves to continue and we expect him to<br />sign this new contract in the coming days.”<br />Elaho, who welcomed the development, urged Keshi to learn<br />from his mistakes.<br />“I think the NFF has done well by giving Keshi the opportunity<br />to remain in charge of the national team and they deserve<br />commendation,” the Algiers ’90 Africa Cup of Nations silver<br />medallist told our correspondent on the telephone on Friday.<br />“Keshi has done a lot for the country. He won the Africa Cup<br />of Nations (in South Africa in 2013), which many of the<br />foreign coaches who managed the Eagles couldn’t win.<br />“He also did well by reaching the second round of the World<br />Cup in Brazil last year. It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t help<br />us qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea.<br />“However, Keshi must listen to advice this time around. Many<br />people saw some of the weaknesses in our team during the<br />qualifiers and made suggestions.<br />“He shouldn’t make people believe that he is stubborn and<br />doesn’t listen to advice.<br />“I believe we would have defended our title in Equatorial<br />Guinea if Keshi had listened to advice.<br />“He probably had his reasons for sticking to some of the<br />players who cost the country (2015 Equatorial Guinea)<br />qualification. We must respect his decision.”<br />The former Denmark-based attacker urged Keshi to inject new<br />blood into the team, saying some of the players in the side are<br />past their sell-by date.<br />He said, “I won’t mention names but many Nigerians know<br />that we need new strikers and defenders.<br />“We need players who are ready to fight for the ball. We don’t<br />need players who are not committed.”<br />Elaho, who popularly called Professor, said the Eagles should<br />not be judged by their 1-0 defeat by Uganda in a friendly affair<br />in Uyo on Wednesday.<br />“(England-based) Odion Ighalo and (Germany-based) Anthony<br />Ujah are players who can help the team if given time to gain<br />confidence.<br />“There are other good players in the team. we should given<br />time to develop.”

Keshi must listen to advice – Elaho

Friday Elaho believes that Stephen Keshi would have guided Nigeria to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea if his former Supe...

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Photo: Male OAU student spotted wearing mini skirt on campus :-)

<img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG0EOSn6N-FPpng6gaoJaOh9dkT08avudHgiMkGaeDml0OA_-n6v08OsTNEZKtXdSZ_hZQJ8B62HG4ekEB48rFvToz5K-QpWqfk9VaI7Qd1V3JeDf-cpqPn8pVqFq-DNyzVfVqWkoAISWx/s1600/4.jpg "><br />This student was spotted at the Fajuyi hall of residence of the<br />Obafemi Awolowo University Ile - Ife today rocking that skirt.<br />Some said he wore it in celebration of 'International Women's<br />Day'. Nice of him to celebrate him is his own unique way...:-)

Photo: Male OAU student spotted wearing mini skirt on campus :-)

This student was spotted at the Fajuyi hall of residence of the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile - Ife today rocking that skirt. Some said he ...

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Ice Prince and his 'special' lady take a photo

<img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6vIZgKevj3xP5MGmnbNrbEKpFIzhgglhW7aVoAGsYOw_LbIaF7jfkvHzMVuk7sUnY7qTlOY3nxlDltAUe9IVaB6ArThZa5Agw8NGY7q5WV5IxO-3NGo9hJWSgDSFPvN37RhuM7V7vn3MX/s1600/9.png "><br />The rapper shared this photo with his girlfriend and wrote<br />"Special"!

Ice Prince and his 'special' lady take a photo

The rapper shared this photo with his girlfriend and wrote "Special"!

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Marriage has made me more responsible - Peter Okoye

<img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsyLVkwZsu5lpiTryEJigUifZbwxliBLfdt9lOD_mBtVE_8BSNNRCq5iFqqzfuMv3QXGdtQqhi6ighQijdPQhdi1LxgsEvsnwJ6zh6bZ9GOzgnbplOn6sj2FALS17XzVuE_h5KwLI5TWu/s1600/b.png "><br />Singer Peter Okoye says getting married to Lola, his wife and<br />mother of his two children has made him a more responsible<br />man. He says marriage has changed his perception as an<br />individual but has not changed him as a member of P-<br />Square...<br />"Marriage has made me to be more responsible, in the sense<br />that there are certain things which I am limited to do as a<br />married man. But I still remain who I am because marriage<br />doesn’t restrict me from doing what I know how to do best on<br />stage. In a nutshell, I will say marriage has changed me as<br />Peter Okoye but not as Psquare" he told Vanguard.

Marriage has made me more responsible - Peter Okoye

Singer Peter Okoye says getting married to Lola, his wife and mother of his two children has made him a more responsible man. He says marria...

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Photos: INEC begins distribution of electoral materials

<img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoctbB6BhLFGvuJR6YzjLGNkXYFacRdADvGoKKWmkP9SpzK8Abhg26Y7HubRkoCSjy38XYmGS7yjtDEArdt0-BnsDjAbQlIw6LXz6mfQYfMZpI1LNBZVT9AHX2xqTRwn66cK2QPTYNWNBZ/s1600/3.jpg "><br />INEC materials being moved to various local government and<br />wards ahead of tomorrow's elections. <img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTOvG_xbLsM0wJW9fAPX0qCKH5N9ptiAUr_S4ZuA7vcouev-6Lt0HRveJ_yzAqMt-TKdqW0xpdqxZkCZnekA6_E4YN-yg_Y1p3rnOi-1RWGiS9t89-ofgUQF5Q9juI0eIvJAif8010KTmL/s1600/4.jpg "><br /><img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiMNGdbrsNRMuMoX85RgoYceaYSxlm4dNEIYaJYHr61yNyS-LyKp5OfaYAbOkZylcVzkb1Al5BXXKUGGtMEeuwDXyuVezyoMe8P-ClcZ7-4mHnJ4VI4DDyQks_sUZEg6Kb886sHdMGFjJ/s1600/5.jpg "><br /><img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixDES9te-pnDxfuOG6Y1-qbofRMZAuE8fr7yD65fEEg6wuWSWFUIeQY5KYL8P_4i8OLX3F0l1PBN8oGKnGDQMcifW0LspZ475ABSOZ7oxE3GlR6T7fdQMB97yZcefjGcuDW0f1CY0U6DoW/s1600/a.jpg "><br />

Photos: INEC begins distribution of electoral materials

INEC materials being moved to various local government and wards ahead of tomorrow's elections.

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Read the national broadcast by Pres. Jonathan on the 2015 election

<img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4WpM_f24kVOgO8qPJ8-y4iFEC0BnesXK6eXKEmO-VUoFK_XTsNT7Xs2neWH93qvsWG8q0-dM-xrRKVANT6iVjTw2ZwyHq2IK1GPGGmEosxVmdoAoLl0qEQGUTlwSuEqhnNhGQurEmH6Oe/s280/unnamed.jpg "><br />President Jonathan this morning addressed the nation in a TV<br />broadcast where he called on everyone to come out en-mass<br />to vote for leaders of their choice. What he said below...<br />Dear Compatriots,<br />1. As we prepare to go to the polls tomorrow, I have<br />come before you this morning to express my immense<br />appreciation for the opportunity you gave me to lead<br />this great nation of ours in the past four years.<br />2. I also wish to place on record, once<br />again, my sincere gratitude for the support you<br />have given my administration without which the<br />significant progress we have made in recent<br />years would not have been possible.<br />3. In spite of the many challenges we have<br />had to contend with since 1999, our present<br />democratic dispensation continues to endure and<br />grow stronger in keeping with the yearnings and<br />aspirations of our people.<br />4. We have all worked very hard to nurture<br />and strengthen our democratic institutions and<br />promote the good governance practices which<br />they were designed to deliver for the better well-<br />being of our people.<br />5. I believe I can say without fear of<br />contradiction that we all clearly cherish the<br />democracy we now have and will never willingly<br />give it up for any other form of governance.<br />6. This much-cherished democracy of ours<br />is about to be put to the test once again.<br />7. I urge you all to troop out en-masse to<br />peacefully perform your civic duty of voting for<br />leaders of your choice tomorrow.<br />8. As we do so, let us all - political party<br />leaders, contestants, party members, party<br />agents, supporters and ordinary voters alike, be<br />very conscious of the fact that the eyes of the<br />entire world are on us.<br />9. We must therefore comport ourselves in<br />a manner that will further strengthen our<br />democracy and consolidate our place in the<br />comity of truly democratic nations.<br />10. I made a commitment on assumption of<br />office to progressively deliver freer, fairer and<br />more credible elections in our country. In keeping<br />with that commitment, the Federal Government<br />has given the Independent National Electoral<br />Commission (INEC) all necessary support to<br />ensure that it conducts very successful elections<br />tomorrow and on April 11.<br />11. We have all been assured that INEC is<br />fully ready for the elections. I believe that we can<br />all trust that they are certainly more ready now<br />than they may have been before security issues<br />and other concerns necessitated a re-scheduling<br />of the dates for the 2015 general elections.<br />12. As an administration, we welcome the<br />fact that millions of Nigerians who were yet to<br />receive their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) as<br />at February 14, and would therefore have been<br />unfairly disenfranchised if the polls had gone<br />ahead on that date, have seized the opportunity<br />of the re-scheduling to collect their cards and<br />can now exercise their right to vote tomorrow.<br />13. We are also glad that our gallant Armed<br />Forces have successfully stemmed the seizure of<br />Nigerian territories in the North-East by the<br />terrorist group, Boko Haram.<br />14. They have recaptured most of the<br />communities and territories formerly occupied by<br />the insurgents, making it possible for thousands<br />of internally-displaced Nigerians to begin<br />returning to their homes and communities.<br />15. I heartily commend the very courageous<br />men and women of our Armed Forces for the<br />immense sacrifices which they continue to make<br />in defending the nation and protecting its<br />citizens.<br />16. I also thank all Nigerians for keeping<br />faith with us over the past six weeks.<br />17. I call on all political parties and<br />politicians in the country to allow the free,<br />unfettered will of our people to be expressed<br />without any hindrance in the coming elections in<br />keeping with the hallowed principles and tenets<br />of democratic governance which we all profess.<br />18. The will of the people freely expressed<br />through the ballot is the bedrock of all<br />democracies and ours cannot be an exception.<br />19. Let us all therefore be prepared, as true<br />democrats, to graciously accept the outcome of<br />the elections as the rightful choice of our people<br />from whom all political powers in our democracy<br />must emanate.<br />20. My administration has done its utmost<br />best in the past four years to deliver on our<br />promise to positively transform our country.<br />21. Tomorrow’s election is another very<br />important milestone as we continue our march<br />towards the fulfillment of our God-given potential<br />for greatness.<br />22. The election offers us another opportunity<br />to empower leaders of our choice once again, and<br />to show the world that genuine democracy is<br />alive and well in our beloved nation.<br />23. I will like to restate my belief that no<br />political ambition can justify violence or the<br />shedding of the blood of our people.<br />24. I reaffirm once again, my personal<br />preparedness to ensure fair play during the<br />elections and to deploy the resources and<br />institutions of state only in the manner prescribed<br />by our laws.<br />25. Let me warn, however, that as President,<br />Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, I am<br />under oath to protect the lives of all Nigerians<br />and the security of our country at all times. I will<br />never abdicate my responsibilities in that regard.<br />26. Democracy allows dissent. It encourages<br />differences and even fervent disagreements. But<br />elections must never be mistaken for war or an<br />opportunity to set fellow citizens against each<br />other and tear our beloved nation apart.<br />27. Those who may harbor any intentions of<br />testing our will by unleashing violence during the<br />elections in order to advance their political<br />ambitions should think again as all necessary<br />measures have been put in place to ensure that<br />any persons who breach the peace or cause<br />public disorder during or after the elections are<br />speedily apprehended and summarily dealt with<br />according to our laws.<br />28. The nation’s security agencies are also<br />fully prepared and ready to deal decisively with<br />any group or persons who attempt to disrupt the<br />peaceful conduct of the elections or cause any<br />form of public disorder.<br />29. Our dear country, Nigeria is the largest<br />democracy amongst black nations of the world.<br />We are a nation of great accomplishments, with a<br />proud history of evolving affinities.<br />30. Let us go out tomorrow to vote peacefully<br />and set a fitting example of political maturity for<br />other emerging democracies to follow.<br />31. I wish you all and our dear nation, very<br />peaceful and successful elections.<br />32. May God Almighty continue to bless the<br />Federal Republic of Nigeria.<br />33. I thank you all.

Read the national broadcast by Pres. Jonathan on the 2015 election

President Jonathan this morning addressed the nation in a TV broadcast where he called on everyone to come out en-mass to vote for leaders o...

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Why FG, AMCON must pay N132bn to Bi-Courtney, Babalakin

After yet another victorious outing against the Asset<br />Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, at the Court of<br />Appeal in Lagos, Wednesday, Bi-Courtney Limited has<br />explained why AMCON and the Federal Government must pay<br />N132 billion damages as earlier ordered by a court. <img src=" http://www.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Babalakin-court.jpg "><br />*Babalakin<br />Demanding AMCON’s compliance with the order of Justice<br />G.K. Olotu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on April 5, 2012,<br />in the suit number: FHC/ABJ/CS/50/09, in a statement<br />yesterday, the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Limited, Dr. Wale<br />Babalakin, explained how AMCON had allegedly attempted to<br />take over the assets of his companies; how the agency had<br />failed to obey a court order to pay N132 billion damages, and<br />how it had deliberately misinformed the public about the facts<br />of the issues.<br />Paragraphs three and four of the order stated: “An order<br />directing the defendant/respondent (Attorney General of the<br />Federation), being the Chief Law Officer and legal<br />representative of the Federal Government and all its agents/<br />agencies, including the government institutions and bodies<br />responsible for the payment of the sum due to the applicant,<br />to mandatorily compel the said government institutions and<br />bodies to immediately comply with the judegment of this court<br />by making without any further delay the payment of<br />N132,540,580,304.00 to the Plaintiff/Applicant in fulfilment of<br />the aforesaid order of this court.<br />“An order directing the defendant/respondent, being the Chief<br />Law Officer and legal representative of the Federal Government<br />to set off from the above-mentioned amount any claims<br />agreed with the Plaintiff/Applicant to be due from the Plaintiff/<br />Applicant to any agency of the Federal Government, including<br />but not limited to the AMCON.’’

Why FG, AMCON must pay N132bn to Bi-Courtney, Babalakin

After yet another victorious outing against the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, at the Court of Appeal in Lagos, Wednesday, ...

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Jonathan: Uncommon journey to greatness

President Goodluck Jonathan comes across as one of the<br />favourites in tomorrow’s election. Having learnt the ropes as a<br />deputy governor, Vice-President, acting-President and<br />President, he appears well groomed for the position he is<br />seeking. <img src=" http://cdn2.vanguardngr.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/412x250xJonathan-suit.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Fj0bvXu93F.webp "><br />President Goodluck Jonathan<br />The fact that he is the incumbent President, creates an aura<br />of edge around him, but that is limited by arguments that<br />incumbency does not seem to be an asset in this race.<br />His journey from the creeks of the Niger-Delta region to the<br />highest office in Nigeria, was obviously very unlikely.<br />Such journeys are only possible in a few places and hardly<br />possible in this part of the globe.<br />Jonathan’s rise from a shoeless son of a local ship builder to<br />the highest office in the land is a remarkable reflection of the<br />Shakespearean quote that ‘’Some are born great, some<br />achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon<br />them,’’ Jonathan had greatness thrust upon him.<br />That does not imply that the President did not arm himself<br />with the prerequisites required for greatness to be thrust upon<br />him.<br />Just as his name ‘’Goodluck’’ suggests, Jonathan, who was<br />born in 1957, has been extremely lucky in his public career,<br />leading to the belief that he is being favoured by unseen<br />hands.<br />Jonathan, who has a doctorate degree in Zoology had often<br />been at the right place at the right time, thereby becoming a<br />beneficiary of various top leadership vacuums that had existed<br />in Nigeria’s political trajectory.<br />Until mid 1998, he was a deputy director in the Oil Minerals<br />Producing Areas Development Commission, OMPADEC, residing<br />in the OMPADEC quarters, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.<br />Sometime late that year, he played host to a former military<br />man who incidentally, he was meeting for the first time.<br />For that visit by the then Bayelsa State gubernatorial aspirant,<br />Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, Jonathan would have by now<br />been approaching his retirement from the civil service.<br />Alamieyeseigha, who was accompanied on that trip by one<br />Gordon Bozimo, went there with the simple request of telling<br />Jonathan, who he had never met to resign from the services<br />of OMPADEC to become his running mate.<br />Though Jonathan accepted after some time, Alamieyeseigha<br />was to change his mind upon some intrigues that arose and<br />had proposed to drop Jonathan from the ticket but one<br />incident or another delayed the process of substituting him<br />putting him in good luck to become the deputy governor of<br />Bayelsa State at the advent of the Fourth Republic.<br />In the second term of that administration, luck again fell on<br />Jonathan in December, 2005 when Alamieyeseigha was<br />removed from office. Jonathan was not directly involved and<br />he according to sources took safety in Bauchi under the<br />protective comfort of the then governor of the state, Adamu<br />Mu‘azu while the political intrigues played out in his native<br />Bayelsa State.<br />After becoming governor, all he wanted was to win the 2007<br />election and was on his way in that regard after riding the tide<br />of incumbency to edge out the more rooted Timi Alaibe. But<br />his course and the nation’s course was changed when luck<br />again smiled on him to pick up the vice-presidential ticket of<br />the party.<br />Not long after the luck of Jonathan came calling again when<br />he was elevated to the presidency in 2010 after the death of<br />President Umaru Yar‘Adua. Before then he had become he had<br />by the Doctrine of Necessity, projected by the National<br />Assembly been declared as acting president.<br />In the election that followed in 2011, Jonathan triumphed over<br />two of his main challengers to become the first person in the<br />history of Nigeria to have served as deputy governor,<br />governor, vice president, acting president and president.<br />It is a record that has put him as the most experienced<br />executive office holder in the history of Nigeria.<br />His record, however, is a matter of divided opinions between<br />his passionate supporters and his critics.

Jonathan: Uncommon journey to greatness

President Goodluck Jonathan comes across as one of the favourites in tomorrow’s election. Having learnt the ropes as a deputy governor, Vice...

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Photos: Former Fidelity Bank MD, Reginald Ihejiahi's daughter weds

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTkrEWV7GNaiNC3AtqL1TBeFDs7Y9Iym4j4xi6LU8ywuvJZD8MCvDmrqwa_PTmYONs-ZoS_jWtB6KtDzp5kkA1c6DQUFbHI3Raqqdu9144yNZoBKkgoqumzodyAfL95Rd7mc71oEKviw1/s1600/3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTkrEWV7GNaiNC3AtqL1TBeFDs7Y9Iym4j4xi6LU8ywuvJZD8MCvDmrqwa_PTmYONs-ZoS_jWtB6KtDzp5kkA1c6DQUFbHI3Raqqdu9144yNZoBKkgoqumzodyAfL95Rd7mc71oEKviw1/s1600/3.png" /></a></div>Ezinne, the beautiful daughter of former Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Reginald Ihejiahi, got married to her man, Adefolabi Akanbi Ogundoyin, in London yesterday March 14th. More pics after the cut...<br /><br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8SYbkjDpUsBDbgtZwRmmG53xcQQrThm75TKqYl4NuwTZr561pdbW4TJICHut-KbZKXFbgacGpewh0-46UPGgy6lE45TcJI1zNz94NKUaaApg8Qm31XTioCCIZYtlfi6bC3M6ErdQvBb2/s1600/4.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ8SYbkjDpUsBDbgtZwRmmG53xcQQrThm75TKqYl4NuwTZr561pdbW4TJICHut-KbZKXFbgacGpewh0-46UPGgy6lE45TcJI1zNz94NKUaaApg8Qm31XTioCCIZYtlfi6bC3M6ErdQvBb2/s1600/4.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b-swG3tWbr-Os4iqaYdJxTuq5hFxLwxiEjMG0bYWqglpSwAzMItStUV5UIYL09Q76VQYv0fjpbx09uLy56JOo1PVih9q4Cw2d5wFCYqSzMsfeXOn8E18kXmLdxznWBSTjFlJ6wZIBmgQ/s1600/5.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3b-swG3tWbr-Os4iqaYdJxTuq5hFxLwxiEjMG0bYWqglpSwAzMItStUV5UIYL09Q76VQYv0fjpbx09uLy56JOo1PVih9q4Cw2d5wFCYqSzMsfeXOn8E18kXmLdxznWBSTjFlJ6wZIBmgQ/s1600/5.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1iqWhXNDE5wQKL0P-rRoKoSboYBx-7V2788uUfYHxgdHpazIv7ORDmLnD_VaY9Dx_UthcHEg9N8MZU241QhbM5i8RtHXr89kVJEPgNDpbzHH-0mqfDKh4Wif3FWTKeS3KY3HcFTypJxA/s1600/6.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1iqWhXNDE5wQKL0P-rRoKoSboYBx-7V2788uUfYHxgdHpazIv7ORDmLnD_VaY9Dx_UthcHEg9N8MZU241QhbM5i8RtHXr89kVJEPgNDpbzHH-0mqfDKh4Wif3FWTKeS3KY3HcFTypJxA/s1600/6.png" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_w_mERBlYt9gv-mXoHW07KPwHcW0n78DSf9Kx2lbLNxSF8zPRlJMeuALedRjlOfvoU8vB_qwaV3tPf-kmndgZieRtRw_n5LU2bz5MOHzvJghK526S_kYpl4U7rDQPlyee6g1T6_m5_0bj/s1600/7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_w_mERBlYt9gv-mXoHW07KPwHcW0n78DSf9Kx2lbLNxSF8zPRlJMeuALedRjlOfvoU8vB_qwaV3tPf-kmndgZieRtRw_n5LU2bz5MOHzvJghK526S_kYpl4U7rDQPlyee6g1T6_m5_0bj/s1600/7.png" /></a><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp8mcY-gmge51mm3GIFLKhASbG_wt8oJl2gHaOE3bMqPcQqcc3Lb3IaG6m8krCqc6ni9HwHDxJFglxY_tIopxDK5T9Y0ulfBjLsgWrXOIwnIEGayg4NCH4E53rjTuqqMYSJblEF0oZvjzG/s1600/08.png" width="333" /><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKiV6G1I4g7YbZvOI0qJ1O8L5ikD3pVTql7jsAyjIvsYT3dXbjvzZFn374-81VN4sLMkkdg_FL79XdVLphLtdt1clFWqQe-wsIxF69P-23gXyXunoLA4_HhNEbf9aaRfu9M9rG11mHENwB/s1600/8.png" width="231" /></div>

Photos: Former Fidelity Bank MD, Reginald Ihejiahi's daughter weds

Ezinne, the beautiful daughter of former Managing Director of Fidelity Bank, Reginald Ihejiahi, got married to her man, Adefolabi Akanbi O...

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Super friendly exes! Lenny Kravitz & ex-wife Lisa Bonnet grab lunch

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GvIYd-1MgrbK1sz9SbcqwFwJzskHdv1smqIi7cpl9MxZUDau3M3S_7WnifhSdOZGin1IOYstxDmtI2yi-9XInaPbVg71bfxmrFHX424HiVH1iiZayUW6m5ckktLViRYubqwZL23esm3p/s1600/0.jpg" /><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyrmoW5rYka3KcN0meYcRz6RCK4xj5msB8Hqei5_FG34-ygoVdFEsRu7QxRLJgirOweOzDMyp6X7SqtrioCeCM49YXVh-O_t9IULNpX27X6theOx1ciz7NPuvluCvXbp_U1DE9-eVrK_97/s1600/1.jpg" /></div>Lenny Kravitz, 50, and Lisa Bonet, 47, got married in 1987 and divorced in 1993. The couple who have been divorced for nearly 22 years, were spotted grabbing lunch in Beverly Hills on Saturday. Their daughter is famous actress Zoe Kravitz, who recently told Ocean Drive mag that her parents still have so much love for each other:<br /> <blockquote>“It makes things so easy that my parents are still very close, they have so much love for each other. My dad and my step-dad (actor Jason Mamoa) get along really well, and my dad loves and is close with my brother and sister. It’s really beautiful. As long as everyone can be in the same room together, and have love for each other, it’s totally healthy.” More pics of the couple after the cut...<br /><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="more"></a></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLXWkH4XeXpz8bWj7W1xh2VXuC1hxgX1yURJzpkdRUsPnhsfIsQzWJC2UN-GIivzqQdJs8Gpp2mfMYtwZa-fl8MWCO0nH8eEfvUoJ2nFx11SaRx2jmg_kkHHb6pt9mGoTzhbsAUyKesuNl/s1600/3.jpg" width="293" /><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj-uAfwkONDXou3ymwZvVMYUnQfWkQ0xAqnqETms2_HZzfkISRbS8AR_bA8-ja1XdXxPD_FuAaQm0BcGwq-Ebkknc5cJ40rC5sNJi8WBwzrtQXByc5XjQfR2nhPR5qic-Oib_Ku9We7gJc/s1600/4.jpg" width="282" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir7XFnB0iKsBc5AorJU_cNhAB4EiA9WhU4aLwhTnsiWkdLkcFpFR5nnjQqpMYHxnJzkipl6IsGrAaLznohQ1nb-X0Ll28RSUIqdhs78x48sOG1WbcQusrzUbofo-IB5jqROjQs9950G9E/s1600/00.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjir7XFnB0iKsBc5AorJU_cNhAB4EiA9WhU4aLwhTnsiWkdLkcFpFR5nnjQqpMYHxnJzkipl6IsGrAaLznohQ1nb-X0Ll28RSUIqdhs78x48sOG1WbcQusrzUbofo-IB5jqROjQs9950G9E/s1600/00.jpg" /></a></div>

Super friendly exes! Lenny Kravitz & ex-wife Lisa Bonnet grab lunch

Lenny Kravitz, 50, and Lisa Bonet, 47, got married in 1987 and divorced in 1993. The couple who have been divorced for nearly 22 years, wer...

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"I don't have any budget attached to my office, come and probe me' - Patience Jonathan

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWQYHlzPw2DN6Xp1qs6cDZexPoBHWGr1fyg3hIG8ruz6zCoDstzbboEL2KiYwr_89DdhXFhK5L-P5jfN2EhqddlHMyKcb2HIVEXWVGl-xdRLFjXf_zT5flrC4bUnY79J0xoDEZxsPk3ol/s1600/0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWQYHlzPw2DN6Xp1qs6cDZexPoBHWGr1fyg3hIG8ruz6zCoDstzbboEL2KiYwr_89DdhXFhK5L-P5jfN2EhqddlHMyKcb2HIVEXWVGl-xdRLFjXf_zT5flrC4bUnY79J0xoDEZxsPk3ol/s1600/0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan says she is ready to be probed following accusations from some quarters that her office is funded from the federal budget. She said this while speaking at the PDP Women rally in Edo state yesterday March 14th.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"Mrs. Jonathan is the first lady of this country. There is no budget, no constitutional rights. So if from <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_95519538" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">tomorrow</span></span> you hear Mrs. Jonathan is corrupt, am I holding your money? Are you giving me any budget ? I don’t have any budget attached to my office. Go and probe my office. Go and probe me and see whether there is any budget attached to my office. Go and probe and see whether there is any money they send to my office. I don’t touch your money. Whatever I have, I struggled for it. I worked for it. I suffered for it,” she said.</blockquote>

"I don't have any budget attached to my office, come and probe me' - Patience Jonathan

First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan says she is ready to be probed following accusations from some quarters that her office is funded from ...

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