EbonyLife TV, Chocolate City launch reality show for young artists

L-R -Kimani-Audu-Maikori-M.I-Mo-Abudu-and-Lanre-Olusola- photo: Bellanaija.com

Efforts have been concluded by  EbonyLife TV (EL TV), Africa's black entertainment and lifestyle network and Chocolate City, a Nigerian record  to host a reality TV show for young talents in music.

This was made known in a  statement made available to News Agency of Nigeria {NAN}, on Friday,

 Mo Abudu, Chief Executive of EL TV revealed that  the show would be ``a first of its kind”.

According  to Abudu,”A talent hunt that is home-grown and proudly created by Chocolate City and EbonyLife TV; get ready for Chocolate City unsigned,”’ she stated.

Abudu, who expressed delight in partnering with the group, said that the show would be aired on EbonyLife TV soon.

In the same vein,  Nigerian rapper and CEO of Chocolate City, Jude Abaga, popularly known as M.I., commended the partnership, adding that it was unprecedented.
In his words,  “ both create stars because we understand the local nuances of making stars.
"We find raw talent from nowhere and take them right to the top; Chocolate City Unsigned will do nothing less.
"I am a living proof of this exciting reality, and I and the team are now ready to take others on this amazing journey to stardom," M.I. said.

According to him, registration for the Chocolate City Unsigned competition will be opened to all interested participants across Africa on March 21, 2016.

NAN reports that the competition proper is scheduled to commence in May 2016 in Lagos, Nigeria.

FAMILY PLANNING; BEST INVESTMENT TO COUNTRIES DEVELOPMENT

The  UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, described family planning has the best investment for countries to achieve progress in the Sustainable Development Goals.

Moon disclosed this on Monday, in a  message to the International Conference on Family Planning in Bali, Indonesia.

Moon who represented  by Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, the Executive Director of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) said family planning was key to unlocking the untold opportunities for individuals and nations. According to him, ``family planning saves lives. 

``We have seen in countries around the world that maternal and child health improve when women have access to services and information they need to freely decide the number, timing and spacing of their children.

“Fewer unintended pregnancies mean fewer maternal and infant deaths, fewer abortions and fewer miscarriages.’” He said.

 The UN chief said that by empowering women and girls to make informed decisions about their bodies, it would enable them to make informed decisions about how they would live to seek education and to stay in school. He noted that once women and girls were empowered, they would develop the skills to find decent work and contribute to the economic growth of their families,their communities and nations.

 He added that as Secretary-General of the UN, he held high the banner of empowering women and girls, promoting their health and defending their rights. 

``We have made great progress under the Millennium Development Goals, including through the Every Woman Every Child movement. ``The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development calls for us to leave no one behind and to do that, we must intensify our efforts in that direction.’’

According to NAN, the UN chief said that in September, the UN launched a new Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ health to accelerate progress. The new strategy, he said, was aimed at providing roadmap toward ending preventable deaths of women and children by 2030 and ensuring that every woman, child and adolescent thrive.

BUHARI HONOURS 1985 EAGLETS, OTHERS

Buhari and the 1985 Golden eaglets. Photo- completesport.com

It was like a dream come through for the 1985 Golden Eaglets of Nigeria as President Muhammadu Buhari  fulfill  the pledged  he made 31 years ago.

The 1985 Golden Eaglets  are:

1 Lucky AGBONSEVAFE
2 Tenworimi DUERE
3 Nduka UGBADE
4 Fatai ATERE
5 Binabei NUMA
6 Kingsley AIKHIONBORE
7 Salisu NAKADE
8 Sani ADAMU
9 Jonathan AKPOBORIE
10 Victor IGBINOBA
11 Billa MOMOH
12 Imama AMAPAKABOR
13 Baudwin BAZUAYE
14 Joseph BABATUNDE
15 Chukwuma NWOHA
16 Mohamed YAHAYA
17 Hilary ADIKI
18 Dele ABUBAKAR

Coach:  Sebastian BRODERICK IMASUEN (NGA)

1985 Golden Eaglets being honoured by Buhari in 2016. Photo- goal.com

Each player got a sum of #2Million and the next of kin of late Kingsley Aikhionbare who happs to be his mother collected the token with much of emotions.

The Coaches- Christian Chukwu and Sebastian Broderick and Barak Zamaki got a sum of #.5 million.

The president also seize the opportunity to honour all athletes who have made the nation proud in one sporting event or the other including the Players and handler of the 2015 Caf U23 Championship  got N500,000 each while N300,000 went to the assistant coaches and other officials.

N1.2 million went to players of the 2015 Fifa U17 World Cup winning Golden Eaglets in Chile, while head coach Emmanuel Amuneke got N900,000 and N600, 000 went to the assistant coaches while 300,000 each went to the team secretary and medical teams and other backroom staff got 200,000 each.

According to Buhari, “

"It gladdens my heart to play host to our athletes who have made the nation proud at various international competitions.

"Nigerian athletes have defiled challenges and always demonstrated that the Nigerian spirit is indomitable.

"On behalf of all Nigerians, I wish to express my appreciation to our athletes and officials for their consistency, determination, willpower and commitment for success witnessed in recent times.

"I urge the managers of this sector [Sports] to keep up with the momentum. I wish to assure the federal government will not relent in its efforts to ensure our sports men and women continue to excel in international competitions.

"I'm particularly concerned about our participation at the forthcoming Rio 2016 Olympics Games. Our sour experience at the London 2012 Olympics Where Nigerian athletes failed to make it to the podium. 

"This administration wants a change in the way we do things. We must strive to the in the way we manage our time, financial and physical resources to ensure we success in the next Olympics. We must aim for optimal performance in all international competitions.

"I wish to remark that this day event is special to me because God granted me the privilege to fulfill my promise in 1985 to all the winners of the maiden edition of the Fifa U17 World Championship. 

"The reasons for the 30 years delay is well known. It is sad to note that a member of the team [Awa Ubare] is not here today.

"In line with our belief that the labour of our heroes past should never be in vain, we want to say thank to our 1985 Golden Eaglets for the success,” Buhari concluded.

Wife seeks dissolution of 14 years marriage for alleged infidelity

follow:@osolaolaiatano

Kemi Jokotola, a 38-year-old businesswoman  had  urged an Alimosho Customary Court, Lagos, to dissolve her 14-year-old marriage for alleged of infidelity and abandonment.

Jokotola  made this known on Wednesday to the Court  during  her testimony.

 According to her, “my husband does not respect and obey our marital vows. He abandoned me to marry another woman without my knowledge.

“In 2005, after three years of our marriage, my husband packed out of the house to an unknown destination, telling me he was done with me because I had yet to give him a child.

“But in 2007, he came to beg me for forgiveness and I accepted him back because we did church wedding. But he again left me in 2009.

“In 2013, he resurfaced again and was begging but with intervention from my family, I accepted him again into the house I rented with my money.

“All the time of his appearing and disappearing, he neither gave me money for food nor paid the rent and electricity bill,’’ she said.

According to NAN, Jokotola accused her husband of infidelity, adding that there were some calls he would not pick inside the house.

 She pleaded with the court to dissolve the 14-year-old marriage that had nothing to show for both now and in the future.

In her words “Please, dissolve the marriage which has not produced any child, I don't love him anymore, he is a betrayal and a cheat." she pleaded.

However, the   Court’s President, Alhaja S.O Mumuni, adjourned the case till Feb. 22, for judgment.








Source- NAN

Journalism; a High Calling- Otufodunrin

"As Christian Journalists, we have a double calling to tell the truth."

This was an excerpt read by the President of Journalists For Christ (JFC), Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin during the first edition of JFC's Career clinic in 2016, held at the International Press Centre (IPC), Ogba, Lagos.

During the meeting, Mr. Lekan described journalism as a high call which go beyond a mere profession, stating that journalists are saddled with the responsibility of reporting the truth always.

Thus, he urged all journalists across the country to be very honest and diligent in all their journalistic duties.

In addition, one of the attendees of the clinic, Mr. Seun ..., who works with The Nation Newspaper, stressed the need for every journalist to engage in personal development to enable them be the best and in order for them to truly fulfill their high calling.

"We must make sure we are of high standards. Our work must speak for us. We should endeavour to be above average," Seun concluded.

JFC HOLDS MEETING THIS SATURDAY

The Journalist for Christ {JFC} has announced that its first monthly meeting for the year will hold on the 16^th of this month {January}.

JFC is the gathering of Christian Journalists across the Nation and beyond to praise the Lord and look for ways to improve on the practice of the profession.

Over the years, JFC has served as a yard stick to encourage young and prospective journalists in different tertiary institutions within the country.

According to the president, Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin,  the theme for this month fellowship is tagged “ The High Call of Journalism,”

Venue: IPC  building, Ogba, Lagos.

Time: 11:00 am.

Otufodunrin is a mediacareer coach.

Number of international migrants worldwide reaches 244 million -- UN

Follow@osolaolaitano

The United Nations {UN} has yesterday disclosed that  the number of international migrants worldwide had reached 244 million in 2015, representing an increase of 71 million, compared to 2000.

This was made known by the  UN Deputy Secretary-General, Jan Eliasson, while launching a report on the 2015 revision of the International Migrants Stock on Tuesday in New York.

Eliasson   said that in many parts of the world, migration occur primarily between countries that were located within the same major area.

The report   further stated that nearly 76 million of all international migrants live in Europe or Asia, which has 75 million.

It added that Northern America hosts 54 million, followed by Africa, with 21 million, Latin America and the
Caribbean with nine million each and Oceania which has eight million, while  between 2000 and 2015, Asia added more international migrants than any other major area of the world.

It stated that Asia gained 26 million international migrants during this period, Europe 20 million, Northern America 14 million, and Africa, six million.

Both Latin America and the Caribbean and Oceania, it stated, added comparatively smaller numbers of migrants during this period with three million each.

In contrast, the report added that the majority of international migrants living in Northern America or about 98 per cent and Oceania, 87 per cent, were born in a major area other than the one where they currently reside.

The report also added that in 2015, two thirds of all international migrants were living in just twenty countries.

It added that 47 million of the migrants, reside in the United States of America, while Germany and the Russian Federation host the second and third largest numbers of migrants worldwide, about 12 million each.

They are followed by Saudi Arabia with 10 million, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, have nearly 9 million each and the United Arab Emirates which has eight million.

Of the top twenty countries of destination for international migrants worldwide, the report stated that nine are located in Asia, seven in Europe, two in Northern America and one each in Africa and Oceania.

The report  also show that between 2000 and 2015, the female share in the global international migrant stock fell slightly, from 49.1 per cent to 48.2 per cent.

The report further showed that international migrants living in Africa are the youngest, with a median age of 29, followed by Asia (35 years) and Latin America and the Caribbean (36 years).

It said that migrants are older in Northern America, Europe, and Oceania, where the median age is 42, 43 and 44 years, respectively.

Source : (NAN)

Neymar will Become his own player- Messi

Leonel Messi has tipped Naymar to become his own player

Over the years, the Brazilian play maker has been tipped to step into the shoes of Messi when he retires but has affirmed that Meymar will be a player of his own.

Lionel Messi believes Neymar has “everything he needs” to become the best player in the world.

The Brazilian made the final three for the 2015 Ballon d’Or, although Messi is heavy favourite to win the trophy for the fifth time in his career.

But asked if he believed Neymar could take over from him at Barcelona, Messi replied: “I don’t think he’s anybody’s successor, he’s not succeeding me or anyone else. 

“He’ll be himself, which is great, and I’m sure he’ll continue to evolve and grow.

“He has everything to become whatever he wants to be, he has everything he needs to do that.

“Apart from being an extraordinary player, he’s a great human being, and I think that’s something he does at an even higher level,” Messi concluded.

Goal.com

50 killed in Libya truck bomb

At least 50 people have been killed by a truck bomb targeting a police training centre in the western Libyan city of Zliten, reports say.

According to Libya Media, the attack struck the jahfal training camp.

The training centre had been a military base during the rule of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

Libya has been hit by instability since his overthrow in 2011, and there is concern Islamic State (IS) militants are gaining a foothold there.

The country has been run by two governments - only one of which is recognised by the international community.

The reports disclosed further that it was a water truck rigged with explosives that caused the bombing.

Urgent calls for blood donations are being made to Zliten residents.

Court sentences cleric to death for blasphemy in Kano

Sharia Court Police, Kano

An Islamic court has sentenced a Nigerian cleric to death by hanging for insulting the Prophet Muhammad in the northern city of Kano.

Abdulazeez Dauda, popularly known as Abdul Inyass, was convicted after a trial held in secret to avoid protests.

Five of his followers were also sentenced to death last year.

These are the first death sentences for blasphemy handed down by a Nigerian Sharia court.

Mr Inyass is a preacher at a local faction of the Tijaniya sect, founded in Senegal by Sheikh Ibrahim Niasse, which has a large following across West Africa.

He was reported to have said that "Niasse was bigger than Prophet Muhammad" during a lecture at an event in May, leading to violent protests in the city.

Kano has a predominately Muslim population and Islamic courts operate alongside secular courts.

ISIS KILLS FIRST FEMALE JOURNALIST IN SYRIA

Ruquia Hassan

Report has disclosed that the ISIS has killed Ruquia Hassan,  the first female journalist in Syria.

 Hassan, 30, was  a woman who dared to defy ISIS in its stronghold of Raqqa, Syria.

According to the social media accounts of citizen journalists from Raqqa, Hassan was killed sometime late last year. But ISIS only informed her family of her death this week, saying she had been "executed" for "espionage."

It's believed to be the first time that ISIS has killed a female citizen journalist in Syria.

Hassan was known by the pseudonym,  Nisan Ibrahim and was one of a number of young activists in Raqqa who tried to get word to the outside world of what was really happening in the city.

Don't Marry A Nerd; Be One- Zuckerberg Advise

Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg has advised women not to date nerds if they want to be successful - but to be nerds.

This advise  comes after a grandmother posted on Facebook that she tells her granddaughters to "date the nerd in school" because he may turn into the next billionaire.

In a response to a New Year post from the tech tycoon, Darlene Hackemer Loretto commented: "I keep telling my grand daughters to Date the nerd in school, he may turn out to be a Mark Zuckerberg!"

In his response, Zuckerberg , "even better would be to encourage them to be the nerd in their school so they can be the next successful inventor," he advised.

The Facebook chief executive recently celebrated the birth of his daughter Max with his wife Priscilla Chan.

Diabetes now affects more than 4 million people in UK, Professor of Diabetes says

Melanie Davies, professor of diabetes medicine at the University of Leicester and University Hospitals of Leicester NHS trust has revealed that based on 2014-15 GP patient data, there are over 4.05 million people with diabetes condition, including 3.5 million adults who have been diagnosed, an increase of 65% over the past decade and around 120,000 more than the previous year. There are thought to be 549,000 with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes.

According to the Professor, “the 4 million figure is “not surprising but quite alarming. There are also lots of people at very high risk of developing diabetes over the next five to 10 years. The large driver is the increase in the number of people with type 2 diabetes, associated with obesity.

“We know that we have an ageing population so of course there are lots of ageing people with diabetes, but we’re seeing in the [Leicester] clinic, teenagers and even children with type 2 diabetes and we wouldn’t have seen that 10 years ago. Even under the age of 30 there are many more people developing it than before and having it for a longer time, so there are more complications,” Davies disclosed.

In the same vein, the Chief Executive, Diabetes UK , Chris Askew, affirmed that, the need to tackle this serious health condition has never been so stark or so urgent.

In his words, “tragically, we are continuing to see too many people with “It is vital that we start to see people with diabetes receive good-quality care wherever they live rather than them being at the mercy of a postcode lottery.”

Askew had advocated for the need to address the ailment by making healthy food cheap and more accessible to the people.