The Aphorism, when you look at the mouth of the king, you will never believe he suckled the mother’s breast, is true in the case of Super Eagles of Nigeria striker, Odion Jude Ighalo. From a humble beginning in the ghetto of Ajegunle, fondly called the jungle city. A melting pot of the Nigerian cultures located in the Apapa area of Lagos State.

From a humble beginning in the ghetto of Ajegunle, fondly called the jungle city. A melting pot of the Nigerian cultures located in the Apapa area of Lagos State.

Life is often viewed as a mystery and pathway to the top filled with odd tasks. But the path is often dotted with challenges before achieving that enviable task called success.

Life in Ajegunle as motivation: Ajegunle is a suburb in Lagos that is synonymous with the good, the bad and the ugly. But through the years, the success story of some young men and women that grew up from this locale cannot be undermined, to an extent that it can be easily be refereed to as the Mecca of entertainment and football in Africa

Breaking the Jinx: Young Ighalo’s Journey to stardom was not all filled with a cheery pie. When he finally got the opportunity for the first time outside the shores of Africa, to take part in trials, the trip took him to Hertha Berlin FC of Germany, Espanyol FC of Spain, and to Portugal before returning to Nigeria for a while.

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It was a moment of sobber reflection at the ongoing Big Brother Naija Double Wahala Reunion on Friday as housemates reveal hidden decisions and actions while in the show in 2018.

Alexandria Asogwa, who is popularly known as Alex, begged Teddy A and Bambam for nominating them for eviction, the result of which led to Bambam leaving the house.

“I felt bad after nominating Teddy A and Bambam for eviction. I felt bad please forgive me. I never like them initially and felt that they should leave the house. So forgive me,” she said.

Likewise, D-One urged Ahneeka to forgive him for turning her down.
It started during the show in 2018 when Ebuka, the moderator, asked each of the ladies in the house to choose a male companion. Ahneeka, on a bended knee, asked D-One to be her male companion, a request the latter turned down before all the housemates. He later accepted Vandora, which, as she revealed on Friday during the reunion, pricked her pride.

Meanwhile, also on bended knee, D-One begged Ahneeka for forgiveness. The lady also jovially turned the apology down, mimmicking the same treatment meted out to her. It was getting hot in the house until Ebuka intervened.

Reactions, especially from celebrities, have continued to pour in following the death of Kolade Johnson from a bullet wound of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Sunday in Lagos.

The late Johnson was killed by men suspected of being members of the anti-cultism squad of SARS AT Onipetesi, along Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway in Lagos where he was watching an English Premier League match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspurs.

Men of SARS, it was reported stormed the place to arrest a man on dread for no reason and they met heavy resistance from residents of the area, who felt that merely wearing of dreadlock was not enough reason to arrest somebody, saying that the man in question had a good reputation in the area.

When they tried to intervene in the arrest, the officers started to shook sporadically and one of the bullets fell Kolade Johnson, who was confirmed dead at the hospital where he was rushed to.

Since the unfortunate incident, several people, including Nigerian music celebrities, have continued to mourn the fine-looking man, asking the authorities not to sweep the matter under the carpet.

Funke Akindele had, through her instagram, earlier reacted, saying it was unfortunate that such sad incident would occure, urging the police top brass to ensure that the culprits were punished.

“So sad that he was killed. What is the country turning to? Rest in peace Johnson and I want police not to sweep the matter under the carpet.”

David Adeleke, known as ‘Davido; and Falz joined millions of Nigerians in reacting to the death of a young man named, Johnson.

Davido wrote through his twitter handle:

“Rip Kolade Johnson, All this nonsense must stop! F*cked up my week! End SARS ASAP!! Rest In Peace Angel, God is alive!

On his own, Folarin Falana, better known by his stage name Falz, wrote also on his twitter handle:

 “So called police killing young people, abruptly ending our dreams and ambitions. How many more lives are we going to lose?

Tall, handsome, calm looking and outspoken with a well-trimmed hairdo and beard that match his looks, would most likely be a fitting description for Nigeria’s Nollywood star actor Frederick Leonard.

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Federick, who is also a supermodel, once played a dynamic role in the movie titled “The Indian Doctor” and several other others, such as “Heartbeat, Discontent, Mr. Perfect, A better Family and most recently “Tailor my heart” with a reputation as the fastest growing star in Nollywood has kept his teeming fans on the edge of their seats

On Playing Dark Characters: In the eyes his fans Frederick is often known for his no-nonsense bully character and a wife beater but on contrary is an easy going gentleman (Laughter, Nnaemeka chips) “this is what training gives you because it teaches you how to become anybody at any given time and as an evangelist and an actor. I am actually irritated by violence and that is why…

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Odion Ighalo, the Super Eagles forward, has revealed that he turned down an offer from Spanish Giants, FC Barcelona, in order to concentrate on his career with Chinese Super League side, Shanghai Shenhua.

It will be recalled, that Odion Jude Ighalo was on the wanted list of the former European champions following the exit of a couple of their key players and in order to remain the pacesetter in the Last Liga.

But the Super Eagles Hitman turned down the chance of linking up with the club, even as some Nigerian former players have hailed the decision as a right one.

Henry Nwosu, one-time, Super Eagles captain, said it was right the player took his stand and not be attracted to the chance of starring for Bacelona where he might likely find game time difficult

“He followed his mind and that makes him a man. I commend him because at Bacelona, they may not use him as he is presently enjoying; It is right,” Nwosu said.

Also speaking, Dosu Joseph, goalkeeper of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic fame, said that the choice of every player is to play regularly, urging the player to go to where he will regularly play.

“I think remaining in China is a good decision for him because he is not growing younger. Besides, he needs to be in a club where he would be playing regularly. It was a right decision from him,” Dosu, approved.
“He should, at this time of his career, avoid any offer, which may not be to his advantage.”

Oby Ezekwesili, the former minister of Education and a presidential candidate in the just concluded general election in Nigeria, is making Nigeria proud around the world as the global rating firm, Forbes, named the former World Bank personnel as Woman Africa Social Influencer.

According to Naija News,  Ezekwesili received the award at the Forbes Woman Africa Awards inaugural gala dinner which held in Durban, South Africa recently.

Ezekwesili’s efforts in launching the viral #BringBackOurGirls campaign on social media earned her the award.

The dinner followed a full day of panel discussions and talks by New Wealth Creators from across Africa at the fourth annual Forbes Woman Africa Leading Women Summit.

The ceremony was the perfect conclusion to a highly constructive day of networking and concept sharing by Africa’s most dynamic women,” said Methil Renuka, managing editor of Forbes Africa and Forbes Woman Africa in a statement on Tuesday.

“I would like to congratulate every award recipient – the work they are doing is impacting the lives of millions of young women worldwide, creating a space for them to, in turn, make their mark in a meaningful way.”

Several women were recognised in business, sports, science, entertainment and leadership, including Divine Simbi-Ndhlukula (Forbes Woman Africa Businesswoman of the Year Award); Rachel Sibande (Forbes Woman Africa Gen Y Award) and Caster Semenya (Forbes Woman Africa Sports Award).

Others are Sho Madjozi (Forbes Woman Africa Entertainer Award), Uche Pedro (Forbes Woman Africa New Media Award), among others.

The convener of ‘OurMumuDonDo’ movement, Charley Boy, actually took money to discredit Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the just concluded general election.

This piece of information was revealed to our correspondent by a very close friend of the popular singer, who gave his name as Okey, saying that the intention of Charley Boy was to collect the money and move ahead with his anti-government and people-oriented activism.

Recall that the Imo State-born entertainer had denied receiving money from the presidency, claiming that he admitted getting fund from the spokesperson of the APC Presidential Campaign Council to test how his co-convener of the OurMumuDonDo, Deji Adeyanju, who, on release from the DSS, resigned his membership of the group, citing Charley Boy’s derailment from their core aim of staying on the side of the masses as his reason.

But speaking on the matter, Okey said Charley Boy received money from the presidency with the sole aim of running down Atiku, defending the latter that he never planned to do that.

“He got money from Festus Keyamo and it was because of the song he intended to release, which the APC believe would whittle down the growing influence of the PDP presidential candidate. But to be truthful, he could not have done it because he has not lost focus on remaining the voice of the masses,” said the tall and lanky man.  

It is no longer news that popular Nigerian female artist, Aijuaje Iruobe, widely known as Waje,  has ended her romance with music after she complained that all her investment in the art had failed to make any return to her.

But the news is the major reason the crooner failed to reap from the trade she love so much, even as other female musicians like Tiwa Savage, Omowunmi and others have been smiling to the banks with their arts.

It is not news that Waje decided to play solo and could not lay her hands on any endorsement from record labels across the country; but it has been gathered that apart from one or two artistes, Waje was not in good terms with a number of them, some of whom own known record labels.

For instant, in 2017, it was reported that Waje was on the verge of joining Marvin Records but the artiste turned it down, citing indifferences in her relationship with some of the artistes on the label as the reason.

Consequently, even when fans clamoured for a next album from her, which was released this year, it failed to make appreciable impact in the market because of a combination of factors, which industry analysts said was her soured relationship with fellow artistes.

For example, it has been rumoured that in the ‘Music is not for me’ video which the artiste published across all her social media platforms including her Youtube Page, Waje emphasised that she had been investing in her music career and she had not been reaping as much as she should from her music.

She lamented that her latest album, which she thinks is one of the best that has come out of Nigeria, has been largely ignored.

In her words,

“I’m frustrated, I am really tired. I no longer believe that this thing is working. I am respecting in this thing that we do but there is also bowing out when the applause is loudest,”

she told members of her team whom she identified as Tolani and Fatima.

“I do not have faith in it anymore. Nobody will say that I have failed or anything. The point is that I am not willing to do this thing anymore. Do you know how much I have invested in this career thing?“There is nothing wrong with change. There are other things I am good at; maybe it is fair to give it a rest and try other things. If you people do not understand, it is my money that I am spending in this thing and I am tired of putting my money in something that I do not have faith in.”

These fourteen letter words depicts huge painstaking task, it is a way paving word, it is a dream making word and also a real call to duty.

The English dictionary defines it as the state of being the person who caused something to happen, a duty or task that you are required or expected to do.

Whatever dream or ambition you have, you MUST be ready to take adequate responsibility for what you believe in and damn the consequences. This is because people will write you off, people will cry you down, they will disappoint You, they will ridicule You, but what you choose to make out of all the barrage of challenges and truck loads of setbacks that you face becomes your responsibility.

The economy may be so bad to the point that all your investments appear to have been washed off with the global torrent of hardships. When you choose to commit your commitment to your commitment and take the responsibility to keep the BELIEF even when nobody sees the STAR in you. You will eventually stand the test of time and achieve your dream, because your belief must fire your consciousness into that conscious state of mind to accomplish everything that you believe in.

Those challenges are exactly what will make up the story of your life, as one wise man puts it, that the success of men lies in their stories.

Back in the days when a man informs his family members that he is ready to marry, usually there is an ominous sense of reaffirmed believe within the family that “our son have come of age, we hope he Can, we hope he is ready for it”. Indicating readiness to shoulder responsibilities beyond one’s imagination.

In our today’s world, it is a different ball game. “We” call it the “Jet age”, “the new generation”, but in actual sense of it, what we have in most cases now, are baby fathers.

Fatherhood is a deep sitting responsibility that goes beyond impregnating a lady or a woman. Overtime, we have observed in most cases, which is rampant in our society, where young men are virtually assisted by their  family members offset the bride price of those they impregnated as a result of some unlawful act that resulted into delivering of the miracle of GOD called “child”.

Hummmmm! I know that my statement must be offending some boys’ sorry men now. Yes, exactly that is the point of this write up because I want to galvanize something in you for greatness because I know it is inside of you and that you have the power to make it happen……….

While so many people believe that Alexandra Asogwa, popularly known as Alex during last year’s Big Brother Naija, Double Wahala edition, was into some sensual and amorous relationship with Tobi Bakare, the dancer has come out to deny having done anything weird with the latter.

Recall that many viewers were in awe at the closeness of Alex to Tobi, to the extent that they regularly kissed, and suspected that they had a carnal knowledge of one another even beyond the BBNaija. Alex was once shown been semi naked with her full breast in the full glare of the viewers.

But Alex was quoted on Wednesday after a Double Wahala reunion as saying that he was always with Tobi who kept her on even when he wanted to give up in the house, but denied having any sexual relationship with the tall and handsome Tobi.

“It was not what people thought but once you find yourself in the house, you will likely be close to someone and I and Tobi were just that close. He was there for me, lifting me up in some moments of despair.

“I like him a lot but that is just the extent it went. There was no much feeling attached and there was no sexual relationship between us as some people guessed. I understand that when you are in a house like Big Brother Naija, you are always in public glare and that is why there is no hard feelings over the rumours,” she said.

It will be recalled that Alex finished fourth in the show behind Tobi, Cee-C and winner, Miracle.