LET'S TALK ABOUT NIGERIA.............

Anyone attempting to guess the outcome of the National Dialogue, or rules out its possibilities for charting a new course for Nigeria, is under-estimating the challenges facing Nigeria and the urgency required in dealing with them.

Contention for space is not a Nigerian phenomenon. Politicians contest for space everywhere. They disagree; they proffer alternatives to governments in power. What appears totally Nigerian in these contentions is the absurdity of ruling out options or making decisions without listening to other sides.

Would the National Dialogue face the same challenges? Sectional interests seem to understand the dialogue as a platform to foist their hegemony. Complaints about number of delegates assigned to them indicate they are coming to Abuja to propagate their interests. Would sectional interests translate to national interests? Who would speak for Nigeria at the dialogue?

CHELSEA MUST PAY £10M TO OFFLOAD INCONSISTENT FERNANDO TORRES.

Chelsea face a staggering £10million bill to get Fernando Torres out of Stamford Bridge as the forward prepares to dig in over his £175,000-a-week contract.

Manager Jose Mourinho has made it clear Torres has no future at Chelsea and questioned whether he is ‘a real striker’ following the 3-1 defeat by Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.  Torres, 30, has two years left on his lucrative contract.

The Spain striker will not be able to command £175,000 a week anywhere else after a disastrous spell in London, but wants to be compensated for taking a lower salary elsewhere.

SODJE MATCH FIXING SCANDAL - SEVEN MORE PLAYERS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED.

SAM SODJE

Seven more professional footballers have been arrested in connection with alleged spot-fixing and another six rearrested over the claims.

The 13 footballers, aged between 18 and 30, are all from Football League clubs in the north-west of England and none of them have yet being charged.

They are being interviewed at police stations across the country after they were held as part of an investigation into alleged bribery and money laundering, the National Crime Agency said.

In December the original six suspects were arrested as part of the inquiry, prompted by information passed on by the Sun on Sunday, and were bailed to return on April 8.

KIDNAPPERS ABDUCT THE SON OF IJAW LEADER "CHIEF EDWIN CLARK".

Insecurity is a major challenge in Nigeria as Vanguard reports that suspected kidnappers have abducted Mr. Ebi Clark, son of Ijaw national leader and former Federal Minister for Information, Chief Edwin Clark, currently a delegate to the National Conference.

He was reportedly kidnapped, Wednesday, at Clark’s country home, Kiagbodo in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State by the gunmen, who invaded the community.

A source told Vanguard that they whisked him away in a speedboat through the Kiagbodo River, connecting Ramos and Forcados Rivers in Bayelsa and Delta states.

ZARA GRETTI WILL BE LAID TO REST TODAY.

"Margaret-Mary Oluwatoyin Ejiroghene Joseph" whose stage name was "Zara Gretti" will be buried today, 4th April 2014 at Ikoyi Cemetery after a Funeral Mass holding at 10am which will be held at Holy Cross Cathedral, Catholic Mission.

The late musician died after battling with Multiple Sclerosis, a terrible nervous disease.

May her soul rest in peace.

CONFERENCE OF SLEEPY OLD MEN WITHOUT STRENGTH TO DECIDE THE FUTURE OF NIGERIA - ORJI KALU

A former Abia State governor, Orji Kalu, has described the ongoing National Conference in Abuja as a home to old men who do not have the strength to decide the future of the nation.

Speaking at the Centenary Lecture organised by the Oyo State branch of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Kalu, who delivered a lecture titled, ‘Nigeria: A Nation in Quest of Credible Leadership’, said Nigeria would not move forward unless the first generation leaders withdrew gradually from politics.

He said, “The present crop of leaders seems to be failing the nation and the people are becoming increasingly doubtful if indeed we have leaders. To worsen matters, the first generation leaders are still mostly the ones calling the shots. If you go through the National Conference delegates’ list, you will be amazed by the number of men in their 80s still trying to determine the type of future that is suitable for the millennium generation. What fresh ideas can these sleepy old men offer on the way forward? There can be no credible leadership until these men begin to gradually withdraw and allow the younger generation to take charge.”

YOUTHS UNCOVER BABY FACTORY IN ABEOKUTA & SET BUILDING ABLAZE

There was pandemonium in the Akinremi Estate, Adigbe, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday after some youths discovered a baby factory around Vulcaniser Bus Stop.

The incident comes barely two weeks after eight women were rescued from a baby factory in the Akute area of the state. Eyewitnesses said that the youths, who thought the building was a ritual killers’ den broke into the compound.

In a fit of rage, the youths were said to have set two vehicles ablaze as well as the one-storey building.

A traffic official, who witnessed the incident, said the youths were able to recover a blood-filled basin, coffin, mortar, calabash, effigy, assorted charms, clothes, live scorpion and other suspected fetish items.

SANUSI SHAMES JONATHAN & CO. AS COURT ORDERS FG TO PAY HIM N50M & ISSUE A PUBLIC APOLOGY OVER HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE.

A Nigerian court on Thursday said intelligence agents broke the law when they seized the passport of ousted central bank governor Lamido Sanusi and ordered the government to pay damages and publicly apologise.

Sanusi was suspended on February 20, less than four months before his terms was set to expire, after accusing the powerful state oil firm of stealing nearly $20 billion (14.5 billion euros) of public funds.

Hours after the suspension was announced, Sanusi returned to Lagos from a regional bankers meeting in Niger and was met by intelligence agents at the airport who confiscated his passport. The ex-central bank boss immediately filed a complaint claiming that his rights had been breached.

At a hearing at the Federal High court in Lagos, judge Ibrahim Buba ruled that the actions of the Directorate of State Services (DSS) “deserve condemnation” and ordered it to return Sanusi’s passport immediately.

UN Sports for Peace and Development day: Football peace event in Nigeria.

A football match in commemoration of the United Nations (UN) Sports for Peace and Development day will hold on Friday, 4th April 2014, in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria.

The football match is aimed at communicating the message of peace in a country direly in need of same.

The match, which will hold at the football field of LEA school Utako, will serve as an an avenue for students to implore the Nigerian government to seek for solutions to end conflicts and terrorism attacks.

Speaking about the event, the Coordinator of the event, an award winning sports journalist and a social change initiator, Aderonke Ogunleye, said she intends to live indelible marks in the lives of the school children and make the day unforgettable.

(VIDEO) PSG 3 CHELSEA 1. UCL Q-FINALS 1ST LEG

PSG 3 CHE 1

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(VIDEO) REAL MADRID 3 B.DORTMUND 0. UCL Q-FINALS 1ST LEG

R. MAD 3 B.DOR 0

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MAN CONVICTED FOR RAPING HIS TODDLER DAUGHTER WAS SPARED PRISON.

The millionaire heir to the fortune of the American chemical company DuPont has escaped prison after raping his three-year old daughter because a judge considered he wouldn't "fare well" in prison.

Robert H Richards IV pleaded guilty in 2008 to fourth degree rape, which usually carries a 15-year sentence in the US, but a Superior Court judge suspended his eight year sentence because she considered he would not "fare well" in prison, The News Journal reported.

Judge Jan Jurden ruled Richards needed treatment and noted that child molesters are often targeted by other inmates in prison. Richards won't serve jail time unless he violates his probation.

ANOTHER PICTURE OF DORA AKUNYILI - PRAY FOR HER.

This is the most recent picture of Dr. (Mrs.) Dora Nkem Akunyili, former NAFDAC boss who is currently participating in the National Sleeping Conference, sorry I meant "NATIONAL CONFERENCE"

The beautiful DORA confirmed last week that she is just recovering from a sickness that almost took her life. 

DORA should be praying, eating and sleeping at home for now and not exposing herself to stress. We wish her speedy recovery.

#ODUAHGATE - EFCC QUIZZES STELLA ODUAH AFTER MANY MONTHS OF SLUMBER.

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Wednesday  quizzed a former Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, for over five hours at their  Idiagbon House headquarters   in  Abuja.

Investigation revealed that Oduah  arrived at Idiagbon House around  10am and left at 3.30pm after being granted a provisional bail.

An EFFC   source said   the former minister was   asked questions and thereafter asked to   make  a statement that could aid the  commission’s ongoing investigation into the purchase of two BMW bulletproof cars by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority at a controversial sum of N255m.

(VIDEO) - DRIVER'S LICENCE SKIT BY COMEDIAN AY

OGA SUNNY

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EBOLA VIRUS IS ON ITS WAY HERE..... #JEKOMO

The deadly Ebola virus has found its way into West Africa, a region that Nigeria is part of for the first time

The outbreak, which began in Guinea’s south eastern forest region last month, is causing widespread panic as death toll rises and the outbreak continues to spread,

According to media reports, more than 125 cases have been documented across three countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone; and as of the last count, about 82 persons have lost their lives to this tropical virus.

What Ebola is

The World Health Organisation describes the Ebola Virus Disease as a viral haemorrhagic fever and one of the most virulent viral diseases known to humankind.

SIX MISSING, 22 RESCUED AS BOAT CAPSIZES IN MAJIDUN-IKORODU, LAGOS.

At least six passengers on board a boat were feared dead after it capsized in a lagoon in the Majidun area off Ikorodu in Lagos State on Wednesday evening.

However, 22 others, who also fell of the boat were rescued by local divers. The development occurred barely two weeks after 13 people died at the 4th Avenue, 42 Road, Festac Town, Festac, Lagos State.

According to an anonymous source, the boat was filled with working class people who were headed home after the day’s job.

“I was told that a boat with about 28 passengers fell off a boat on Wednesday evening. Some of the victims were said to have been dressed formally and were returning after the day’s work,” he said.

INSIDE JONATHAN'S N166BN ($1BN) BUDGET FOR OIL THEFT WAR.

President Goodluck Jonathan recently announced that the Federal Government had set aside the princely sum of $1 billion to tackle the protracted crisis of crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and the so-called illegal bunkering that have resulted in the loss of between 10 and 20 percent of the nation’s crude oil production output. The President, who spoke while on a visit to The Netherlands, headquarters of Shell, Nigeria’s biggest partners in the oil and gas industry, which has been worst hit by the seemingly insurmountable security challenges confronting the industry, said the funds would also be committed to apprehension and prosecution of oil thieves.

Details of the programme include further action to enhance the security of pipelines and other oil industry infrastructure, resolve community-related issues, boost youth empowerment in oil-producing areas, and enhance the commitment of oil companies to the discharge of their corporate social responsibilities. The President said that the fresh onslaught against oil theft planned by his administration would require the maximum co-operation of the international community, especially countries like The Netherlands, which are major stakeholders in the global oil industry.

POLICE STORMS OSHODI - ARREST 118 HOODLUMS.

As part of the efforts to boost security in Lagos, no fewer than 118 suspected hoodlums were, yesterday, arrested by the state Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) unit in Oshodi motor parks and its environs. 

It was learnt that the hoodlums, who were unleashing mayhem in the area, were arrested by the team which stormed the area at 1:00am.

Sources said that the hoodlums robbed commuters of their valuables at the early hours of yesterday.

It was further learnt that over 160 hoodlums were initially arrested after the exercise.

(VIDEO) MANCHESTER UNITED 1 BAYERN MUNiCH 1. UCL Q-FINALS

MANU 1 BAYERN 1

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO of the first leg UCL Q-Final match between Manchester united and Bayern Munich.