Nigerian Idol 3 finale; Femi Kuti, D'Banj, Omawumi, all hail Moses

Moses Obi-Adigwe has become the first male contestant to emerge winner of the third season of Nigeria's most-viewed TV reality show, the Nigerian Idol! The 22-year-old could not contain his joy as he stuttered over and over again, "This is a new beginning in my career and life... you don't understand!"

Like in previous seasons, Etisalat Nigeria delivered, as promised, a brand new SUV and a 7.5-million-naira cheque to the new Idol, who will also get a recording contract worth another N7.5 million. First Runner-up, Debbie Rise drove home in a brand new Kia Picanto, also courtesy Etisalat Nigeria.



 All the excitement was witnessed on TV by millions of Nigerians home and abroad. But you can be assured that the atmosphere in the Dream Studios, where the grand finale took place, was full of contagious squeals. Fever pitch escalated when D'banj, Omawumi and Kaffy performed. Former Idol, Yeka Onka was also on stage to perform one of her captivating songs.

The star performance of the night was that of multiple Grammy Award nominee and Afrobeat singer, Femi Kuti, who doubled as one of the judges on the show.

Kuti and the other judges, Yinka Davies and Jeffrey Daniels were full of praise for both Moses and Debbie Rise. Friends and families of the finalists also showed up to celebrate with their own. Moses' sister, Rhoda, leapt on stage when the announcement was made while his brother, Prince, grinned proudly. Debbie Rise's parents proudly supported their daughter as she stepped off the Nigerian Idol 3 stage and friends swarmed around her.

The Top 12 contestants were not left out of the glamour and celebration, as they gave a group performance. Efezino, Jay Feel, Abasi Akang, Safeeyat and the others also stepped up on stage to embrace Moses, who dissolved in their arms and cried happily.
This season, the Nigerian Idol website enjoyed over 30 million hits, while on Facebook, over 96,000 friends were added. Ahead of season 4, we now wait to see if Moses will continue to make Nigeria and Africa proud, just like Mercy and Yeka who recently performed at the O2 Arena in London, courtesy of Etisalat.

 

“I want my wife’s condition be kept private” – Jonathan bars governors from seeing First Lady

Cracks have emerged in the camp of ailing first Lady, Dame Patience Goodluck Jonathan, as Mr. President gave a strict instruction to the German hospital that a delegation of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), which recently visited Germany where the First Lady being hospitalized should have no access to First Lady.

A highly reliable source confirmed the governors are not happy that they could not have access or know the current health status of the First Lady whose offices as the First Lady and a Permanent Secretary to the Bayelsa state government remain empty since her departure.

The delegation, led by Governor Rotimi Amaechi, included Governors Sullivan Chime of Enugu, Babangida Aliyu of Niger, Jonah Jang of Plateau, Kashim Shettima of Borno and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina States.

The source said, “The governors, though in Germany for a different reason, had hoped to extend the African courtesy and hospitality to the first lady when they received the cold treatment from the ambassador.”

Another reliable source said Ambassador Abubakar following Jonathan’s instruction barred the governors from seeing the First Lady, insisting that his wife’s condition be kept entirely “private and secret.”

“The ambassador and other officials at the Nigerian embassy in Germany made sure they kept Mrs Jonathan’s whereabouts and condition secret,” the source said. “The governors became frustrated and stopped trying.” The source

Spokesperson to the president, Reuben Abati and his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe declined comment on the issue.

The alleged “food poisoning” that landed Dame Patience Jonathan in a German hospital has continued to generate ripples in the country as several Nigerians and informed commentators continued to condemn President Goodluck Jonathan and his advisers, for not deeming it fit to inform Nigerians on the true state of his wife’s health.

The absence of official statements from the president’s office has given room to speculations, rumours and innuendoes, thus making Mr. President more vulnerable to attacks.

LASU students on rampage, disrupt exams

One hundred (100) level students of Lagos State University, LASU, (Main campus) Tuesday, protested alleged decision of the school management not to reduce their school fees.

Our sources said the students were reacting over the rumour making the rounds on the campus that the management had no intention to effect a cut in tuition as promised during their admission into the school.

It would be recalled that the Lagos State government, as part of moves to douse the rising tension caused by the increase in the tuition of LASU students, said the proposed fees would only be paid by incoming students that would gain admission into the school in years to come.

The student were however, directed to pay N193,750 for Arts/Education; N223,750 for Social and Management Sciences; N248,750 for Law while those in Communication/Transport, Sciences, Engineering and College of Medicine paid N238,750, N258,750, N298,750 and N348,750 respectively as against old fees which ranges between N25,000 and N62,500.

The protesting students it was gathered, were supposed to be writing one of their GNS papers today but have refused to take the paper so as to register their grievances.

It was also gathered that the Students Union Government, SUG, the umbrella body of every student in the institution has dissociated itself from the protest.

Former Arsenal striker, Henry scores from a corner in MLS game [

Thierry Henry has still got the va va voom. During his amazing time at Arsenal, the former France international scored it all – from the simple tap-ins to the outrageous efforts. And the ex Barcelona star is still working his magic in the MLS in the US. with a few seconds left in New York Red Bulls’ match against Columbus Crew, the striker lined up a corner kick. And although there were several players, including Tim Cahill, waiting for his delivery in the box, he opted for the audacious – swinging it in from an impossibly-angle. It was his second of the game and Red Bulls’ third, as they ran out 3-1 winners.

Boko Haram's spokesman Abu Qaqa Feared Dead

The camp of the Jama’atu Ahlus Sunnati Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, otherwise known as Boko Haram was thrown into a heavy turmoil on Monday following the murder of its spokesman, Abu Qaqa and the apprehension of its two top commanders the Joint Military Task Force (JTF) Mariri neighbourhood of Kano after a gun duel.

According to spokesman for the Joint Task Force in Kano, Ikediche, Abu Qaqa and his cohorts meet waterloo when they refused to stop for a search by officers of the Kano State Joint Task Force (JTF) as they opened fire on the Volkswagon Golf car leaders of the sect were travelling in.

Mr. Iweha who confirmed that incident disclosed that a lady was among those arrested.

Meanwhile, spokesperson for the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, however declined comment on the incident.

Crack Ya Ribs LIVE in Abuja – Experience Julius Agwu, Iyanya, I Go Dye, Timaya, Dan D’Humorous, Funny Bone & More – Sunday 30th September 2012

After staging spectacular concerts in Glasgow, London, New York, Houston and Dallas, Superstar Nigerian comedian and musician, Julius Agwu is billed to thrill all Abuja residents at the 2012 edition of Crack Ya Ribs show set to take place on Sunday 30th September 2012 at the prestigious Transcorp Hilton Hotel.

Speaking on the anticipated show, Julius Agwu who will be launching his TV show – Jokes Apart soon, said “The Abuja edition of this year’s Crack Ya Ribs is my independence gift to Nigerians as we return after the summer tour. Not forgetting the fact that this year marks 12 years of Crack Ya Ribs and it has been repackaged with some fresh ideas to keep the brand going. We have made it bigger by turning it to a Pan-African event and that informed why there were performances from Ghanaian leading music and comedy stars at the London show. With our current plans for the Abuja show, lovers of quality entertainment are in for a good time.”

And they will definitely be having a fun day as some of Nigeria’s most wanted comedians and musicians will be present live to keep you entertained all night long. To deliver rib cracking jokes alongside Julius Agwu are I Go Dye, Senator, Dan D’Humorous, Funny Bone, Osama and Triple White.

For non-stop musical entertainment, Egberi Papa 1 of Bayelsa, Timaya and Kukere master, Iyanya will be live on stage to perform some of their hottest tracks.

It promises to a fun filled night that the residents of the Nation’s capital city will never forget. See you all there LIVE!

Date: Sunday 30th September 2012
Time: 5 PM
Venue: Transcorp Hilton, 1 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja
Ticket Prices: Regular N 5,000 | VIP N10,000 | Table N 300,000
Ticket Locations: You can get your tickets at the following places;
Drumstix, Wuse II, Abuja
Steady Plaza, Abuja
Ground Square, Abuja
Exclusive Stores, Plot 1202, Adetokunbo Ademola Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja
Silverbird Cinemas, Plot 1161, Memorial Drive, By Musa Yar’adua Center, Central Business District, F.C.T, Abuja

NAPTIP rescues 10 Nigerian girls forced to work as prostitutes in Cote d’Ivoire

National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) yesterday Saturday 15th September, 2012, announced that they rescued 10 Nigerian girls forced to work as prostitutes in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire

NAPTIP said the 10 rescued sex workers are from Edo, Delta, Rivers and Benue states, with Edo topping the list with six girls.

NAPTIP said the rescue operation was done in collaboration with the regional bureau office of Interpol in Abidja and carried out based on a tip-off. The agency said the rescued girls will undergo medical screening, counseling and eventually rehabilitation.

Fuel shortage hits Lagos, others

Major cities across the country experienced severe fuel shortage over the weekend as motorists formed long queues at the few filling stations with fuel.

In Lagos, motorists were seen queuing to buy fuel at Ogba, Ikeja, Berger, Ikotun, Akute among other placs withing the metropolis.

However, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation blamed the shortage on the continued closure of a vandalised NNPC System 2B pipeline at Arepo, Ogun State.

In an interview with our correspondent on Sunday, the NNPC spokesman, Mr. Fidel Pepple, said the closure of the Arepo line was a major setback for the corporation.

Pepple said, “The solution to the problem lies in us putting the line on stream. And now, we are unlikely to resolve that as soon as possible because security must be guaranteed at Arepo before repair works could be completed.

“We have product, but we can’t continue to pump through the bad line and have product wasted.”

Repair works at the vandalised pipeline were stopped last week after suspected vandals killed three NNPC engineers at the site.

Our correspondent gathered that the shortage might grow worse in the course of the week.

The President, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, South-West branch, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, told our correspondent that loading of products at Lagos depots had dropped by over 70 per cent.

He said, “The situation is not improving at all; it has rather worsened. A depot that can serve about 200 trucks per day, now serves between 40 and 50. Last week it was between 70 and 90.

“Now, marketers are not willing to incur any extra costs. They don’t want to transport products to places outside their depot areas. Right now they are not going to the far east, north or south-south.”

“Government should do the right thing now. Most of these marketers have investments in Nigeria, and can’t just run away like that. So, government should engage them so that we can address this problem.”

About N200bn is currently being owed the oil marketers by the Federal Government.

Also speaking to our correspondent, the Chairman, Independent petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (Western Zone), Mr. Olumide Ogunmade, said the association’s members were also having challenges loading products.

He said the pipeline explosion at Arepo had compounded the problem as most of its members that were loading from Ogun State had been referred to Apapa.

“This is affecting the movement of product. Our members are now loading from Apapa. But the process is slow. We however believe it will stabilise soon,” Ogunmade said.

In Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, on Sunday, motorists accused petroleum marketers of hoarding petrol to create artificial scarcity. Some of the filling stations in the city sold a litre of petrol for N115, while others sold it for N150.

A motorist, Mr. Kunle Folarin, said that he had become frustrated after his efforts to buy fuel in three different filing stations were unsuccessful.

Folarin said that the attendants in many of the filing stations in the town collected bribes, ranging from N100 to N300, before selling fuel to motorists.

Another motorist, Sunday Abolarin, corroborated Folarin’s claim, adding that the fuel scarcity in the town was the creation of the marketers.

“Many of the marketers have fuel but they don’t want to sell because they are expecting an increase in the pump price of fuel. I don’t know what this country has become,” he said.

Most of the stations visited by our correspondent in Abeokuta on Sunday were shut and without attendants.

The NNPC mega station on Moshood Abiola Way was shut on Sunday evening. At Atinsola filling station near Ayetoro Garage, attendants sold fuel at N110 per litre. At World Oil filling station, Ibara, the sale of fuel was said to have been stopped by the attendants at about 2pm, while the long queue of motorists at the station was ignored.

The queue at filling stations in Enugu State grew on Sunday as motorists found it difficult to buy fuel. The queue, The PUNCH observed, were prominent at major filling stations in Enugu where the product is sold for N97, as against N110 at small filling stations.

A motorist at NIPCO filling station, in New Haven, said the queue had always been at major filling stations in the state because “these filling stations sold at N97 per litre and that is the cheapest one can buy.”

The motorist, Mr. Maurice Okafor, said, “The queue is always less at the smaller filling stations because they sell for N110 and it is only those that can afford it that go to such places, but the line at big filling stations has increased because most of the smaller stations do not have the product.”

Another motorist, Mrs. Elizabeth Onyia, said, “I always buy fuel at those unknown filling stations because you would never meet a queue there. But since yesterday, it has been difficult to buy fuel at any of the small stations and that is why many of us opted to come to NNPC, Bontus, Juhel and the rest of them. As you can see, the line here is agonising.”

Vehicular queue witnessed last week at the NNPC mega filling station on Sapele, has however not cleared completely, though it had thinned out by Sunday evening.

In a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, the Acting General Secretary of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Mr. Isaac Aberare, said the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the NNPC should be held responsible for the resurfacing of fuel queues in the country.

“The Secretary, Petroleum Tanker Drivers Unit of NUPENG in Abuja just spoke on television that there is no strike. If the fuel scarcity in Abuja persists, then the Minister of Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of NNPC should give an explanation,” Aberare said.

National honours awardees stranded in Abuja …as FG fails to provide accommodation, flight tickets

MOST of the recipients of the 2012 National Honours were stranded in Abuja on Sunday as the Federal Government failed to provide them accommodation as it was the practice in the past.

The honours are expected to be conferred on the recipients on Monday (today) at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. A total of 149 recipients will be conferred with national honours with Chairman of Globacom, Mike Adenuga, receiving the highest honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger.

Most recipients, especially Abuja non-residents, who arrived in Abuja on Sunday evening discovered that the government made no provision for their accommodation and flight tickets.

During former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, all awardees were each provided with accommodation or N50,000 in lieu of it.

They also received the same amount of money for flight tickets.

A senior government official, who disclosed this to one of our correspondents in Abuja, said the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was usually saddled with the task of arranging accommodation and flight tickets for the honourees.

The official said, “You see, it is wrong for you to invite people from all nooks and crannies of the country to Abuja without making any preparation for their accommodation, transport and even feeding.

“That is against the African tradition of entertaining guests. Many of these awardees have never been to Abuja before and therefore, they don’t know how to find their ways.

“The usual thing is to reserve accommodation for these distinguished Nigerians. But I don’t know why things are like this in this country.”

Some of the awardees, as well as members of the organising committee, who spoke to our correspondents at the organising committee’s secretariat in Agura Hotel, Abuja, confirmed that they were not provided with accommodation and flight tickets.

A member of committee, who pleaded anonymity, said, “There was no provision for accommodation for the recipients; flight tickets were also not provided.

“They are to take care of those things. There is no big deal about that though it (taking care of honorees) had been the practice.”

One of the awardees complained to one of our correspondents about the non-provision of accommodation and transportation arrangements for the recipients.

The awardee, who was in company with his wife searching for hotel accommodation, said it was sad that the organisers of the award left them to fend for themselves.

Asked if he had been able to secure accommodation, the awardee replied, “no.”

He said, “I am trying to secure my own accommodation, since they did not provide any for us. The situation is quite inconveniencing. I don’t live in Abuja and here I am, hours after I arrived, I am yet to settle down. I have not had a bath and I have not changed my clothes.

“The arrangement should have been better; it should not be just (about) collecting the award.”

Asked if his children would be around to witness the event, he said, “The invitation said only two guests; I can’t bring all of them. So I brought my wife and a friend along.”

Our correspondents also gathered that many of the awardees were experiencing similar difficulties in securing accommodation, as most of the hotels in Abuja had been fully booked ahead of the event.

An employee of an hotel disclosed that some awardees started making reservations immediately the date for the conferement of the awards was announced.

In the same vein, security has been beefed up around the International Conference Center, venue of the event.

Unlike during the previous editions of the awards when recipients were allowed to bring in friends and relatives to felicitate with them, only two guests would be allowed to accompany each recipients this year.

As part of the security measures, our correspondent further learnt that movement in and out of the venue would be controlled. It was also learnt that no individual would be allowed to either drive personal cars or walk into the venue.

According to the arrangement that has been put in place, awardees’ guests and those involved in the organisation of the event are expected to converge on Eagles Square from where designated buses would convey them to the venue.

The measures, our correspondent further learnt, was to regulate the number of vehicles that would have access into the venue of the event.

Also, a limited number of journalists would be accredited for the event by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation with the organisers relying more on State House correspondents that would accompany Jonathan to the event for the coverage.

The Nigeria Police had earlier assured that the national honours award ceremony would record no security breach.

Speaking against the backdrop of the protests over an anti-Islamic movie that rocked different parts of the world, including Jos, Plateau State and Sokoto State, Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Frank Mba, said that the police and other security agencies were ready to contain any security threat during the ceremony particularly from protesters.

“We are taking proactive measures to ensure water-tight security in the country and our strategies are working. The national awards ceremony will be hitch-free and our guests and awardees are advised to relax. It is a national day of honour and we have put in place the necessary arrangement to guarantee the security of lives and property,” Mba stated.

On Sunday, our correspondents who visited the venue of the awards were not allowed entry into the complex.

Security operatives, comprising men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and soldiers manned the gate. An armoured personnel carrier was also stationed by the gate.

Checks revealed that wedding receptions and other social engagements slated to hold in the ICC on Saturday were shifted to other venues following a directive from security agencies.

Wealthy Nigerians spend $6.5bn on 130 private jets

The growing penchant for private jets acquisition has cost wealthy Nigerians a sum of $6.5bn (N1.02tn) in the last five years. Aviation sources reveal that the luxury trend, which rose by 650 per cent between 2007 and 2012, is encouraged among the rich by the need for privacy, fear of insecurity and the urgency required by modern business, TUNJI ABIOYE reports

Private jet ownership in Nigeria has grown by 650 per cent, from 20 jets in 2007 to over 150 jets in 2012.

According to documents sighted in aviation agencies, the development means that wealthy Nigerians acquired, at least, 130 private jets with a sum of N1.02tn ($6.5bn) within the last five years.

This put the private jets aviation market in Nigeria (the monetary value of all private jets in the country) at N1.18tn ($7.5bn), using $50m as the average cost of each brand new private jet.

A private jet goes for between $40m and $65m, according to the websites of major private jets manufacturers, like Bombardier of Canada; GulfStream and Hawker Siddley of United States; and Embraer of Brazil.

According to findings, the common brands of private jets in Nigeria are Gulfstream 450, 550 and 650; Bombardier Challenger 604, 605; Global Express; Embraer Legacy and Falcons; and Hawker Siddley 125-800 and 900XP.

Top aviation officials told our correspondent on Friday that Nigeria currently rivalled China as one of the two fastest growing private jet markets in the world.

An official with in-depth knowledge of the situation, who spoke under condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, said most of the jets were bought by top politicians, oil magnates and other business moguls in Nigeria.

He explained that the economic downturn in Europe and the United States had made Nigeria and China to become two of the fastest growing private jet markets in the world.

He said, “Two countries buying private jets now are China and Nigeria. Europe and America are going through turmoil; so, their people are no more buying. This accounts for the trend that whenever some of the private jet manufacturers develop any new jet, they take them to Nigeria and China.”

“The private jets in Nigeria are owned by top politicians, oil magnates and business moguls. It is difficult to get the real identities of owners of some of the private jets in Nigeria because they buy them through some foreign companies in North America, especially the US. The foreign company then leases it to another company in Nigeria.”

Investigation by our correspondent also revealed that there were still several private jets on order by wealthy Nigerians. Some of the jets, it was learnt, would be delivered this year, while others would be delivered in 2013 and 2014.

A top official of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, who asked not to be named, said representatives of the owners of the private jets on order had already notified the agency about the order. This, he said, was necessary for the purpose of registering the aircraft in Nigeria. According to him, some of the private jets also come with foreign registration credentials.

The Managing Director of Aero Airlines, Captain Akin George, had recently commented on the increasing number of private jets being parked at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

He particularly lamented the fact that most of the private jets carried foreign registration credentials. He had subsequently called on the authorities concerned in the country to make registration processes in Nigeria friendly and attractive.

During a recent visit to Abuja, our correspondent observed that over 40 private jets were parked at the terminal.

The CEO of another airline also said that during political meetings or big functions in Abuja, over 50 private jets were usually seen parked at the Abuja airport.

These, he said, were different from the ones parked at the Lagos and other major airports across the country.

“If you go to the old local wing at the Abuja airport, there is virtually no place to park private jets again,” he said

Just on Thursday, a team of officials from the headquarters of Bombardier in Canada arrived at the Executjets Private Hangar at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, to showcase one of their latest private jets, Global 6000.

The team was led by the Sales Director, Africa, Bombardier Business Aircraft, Mr. Robert Habjanic, who said that the team was on a tour of 12 cities in Africa, including Lagos. Habjanic, who spoke with a few aviation journalists, told our correspondent that Nigeria was the company’s largest market in Africa, with about 35 Bombardier-made business aircraft currently flying its airspace.

He said the team had also showcased the relatively new business jet in other parts of the world.

He confirmed that “private business in Nigeria has been growing tremendously in the last five years.”

He attributed this to the fact that “Nigeria is an emerging market.”

The growth in the purchase of private jets in Nigeria has also led to the development of multimillion dollars private jets hangars, where repairs and maintenance could be done in the country. Some of these include Execujets Nigeria Hangar, Caverton Hangar and EverGreen Hangar, all located at the Lagos airport.

Speaking on the development, industry expert, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, said, “The economy is expanding, with increasing investments within the country and the region. This will invariably necessitate instantaneous travel that scheduled airlines cannot provide.

“Also the privacy needed in a country filled with paparazzi can be an issue. Increasing political and religious issues are contributory. By and large, it will continue to increase if the economy continues with a lot of diversification inputs that naturally spread wealth.”