Jerry Douglas' Blog

TIME magazine has released its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, from artists and leaders to pioneers, titans and icons. Our very own Omotola made the Icon list. She was named the queen of Nollywood. Read what Time Magazine had to say about Omotola below. The world’s most productive English-language film industry is not Hollywood but Nollywood. The teeming Nigerian cinema grinds out some 2,500 movies a year, mostly direct-to-DVD quickies mixing melodrama, music and an evangelical Christian spin. Employing a million Nigerians, Nollywood enthralls millions more who come for the thrills, the uplift and the artful agitations of Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde — the Queen of Nollywood. Called OmoSexy by her fans, she has made 300 or so features, from the 1996 Mortal Inheritance to the 2010 superproduction Ijé, shot partly on location in Los Angeles. Married to an airline pilot she wed on a flight from Lagos to Benin, Jalade-Ekeinde brings a juggler’s gr

The Boko Haram amnesty committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday has suffered yet another blow as a second nominee, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmed pulled out of the committee today. The renowned medical doctor and President of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria, Dr. Datti will be the second person to pull out of the committee in the last 24 hours. Yesterday, civil rights activist Shehu Sanni and president of Kaduna-based Civil Rights Congress (CRC) pulled out of the committee through an announcement on twitter. Comrade Sanni said the Nigerian president did not contact him before including his name.  The Boko Haram amnesty committee set up by President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday has suffered yet another blow as a second nominee, Dr. Ahmed Datti pulled out of the committee today. Dr. Datti will be the second person to pull out of the committee in 24 hours. Yesterday, civil rights activist Shehu Sanni pulled out of the committee through an announcement on

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested two top officials of the Imo State Government. They are the Commissioner of Finance, Deacon Okafor Chike John and the Accountant General of the state, Eche Ezenna George. They were picked up Wednesday and are currently being questioned at the Commission’s office in Abuja. They were arrested following petitions in respect of the over N1 billion construction contract awarded JPROS International Limited for which the former deputy governor, Jude Agbaso was recently impeached. Investigation has revealed that due process was not followed and the contract value was paid to the contractor even before the commencement of work Sources at the Commission disclosed that more personalities involved in the scam are being invited for questioning as investigations continue. Wilson Uwujaren, spokesman of the Commission confirmed the arrest. Source:  PM News

The operatives at the Special Fraud Unit of the Nigerian Police Force, Milverton Street, Ikoyi, Lagos southwest, Nigeria, have arrested two staff of a new generation bank for allegedly stealing the sum of $200,000 (about N30 million) belonging to their employer. They were arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court on a 3 count charge of stealing and conversion. The police alleged that the accused, Chinoyerum Akubundu, 45, female and Emeka Abike, 32, were arrested following a written complaint by the management of the bank that the accused on 5 and 18 March 2013 stole the $200,000 entrusted in their care to bring to the Lagos branch of the bank by air from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, southsouth Nigeria. During interrogation, the accused could not give satisfactory account of how the money got missing in transit by air. The offences, the prosecutor SP Emerho Frank said, contravened sections 409, 285 (5) and contrary to section 278 (2) (4) and punishable under section

Ademola Aderinto being molested The Police Service Commission has dismissed Olusegun Fabunmi, a Chief Superintendent of Police who shot and killed one Ademola Aderinto in Ogba, Lagos during the January 2012 fuel subsidy protest. During the commission’s plenary meeting held on April 3 in Abuja, Mr. Fabunmi was dismissed for act unbecoming of a senior police officer. Mr. Fabunmi was the former Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Pen Cinema, Agege police division. He is also being prosecuted for murder at a Lagos High Court by the Lagos State office of the Public Defender. Also dismissed from the Police is Fausat Oduwole, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, who extorted N21.6 million from police sergeants by conducting a sham promotional examination for them. Mrs. Oduwole placed a levy of the officers to enable them gain promotion. Source:  Premium Times

The Association of Witches and Wizards in Nigeria has warned former Head of State and leader of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, General Mohammadu Buhari to bury his ambition of ruling Nigeria ever again. Dr. Okhue Iboi, the acclaimed spokesperson of the Association in an interview with Sunday Express asserted that witches and wizards in the region would not allow him to spearhead the affairs of the nation again. He further stressed that Nigeria would not break-up after 2015 contrary to what Dr. Fasheun and the American government predicted. According to him, “During the meeting we held on January 29 in Ilorin, we talked about the government of this country. Goodluck Jonathan will re-contest and he will win the 2015 election irrespective of whatever opposition that rises against him,” the coven’s spokesman affirmed. On the menace of Boko Haram, Iboi said, “We gave the witches in the North the mandate to cool down Boko Haram; mark my words, by the end of this ye

The National Security Adviser, Col. Sabo Dasuki, has invited Rivers State Commissioner for Information, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari over a press release she issued last Friday. Semenitari had issued the press release to clear the air on the new helicopters which were recently acquired for security purposes in Rivers State. In the press release, which was done to stave off allegations that the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi acquired the helicopters towards his 2015 presidential bid, Semenitari said that in fact, “The Rivers State government had announced its intention to purchase two security helicopters at different fora. “ The Rivers State Government has always owned a private jet and has NOT purchased any new airplanes nor does it intend to purchase one. As is typical of Governor Amaechi, such purchases would be openly and transparently done and so would not need to be a matter of conjecturing." Apart from this, she also explained how the state acquired two helicopter

Highly controversial Nollywood actress, Tonto Dikeh recently displayed some hot and stunning pictures with her fans on social media and captioned one of them as ‘Feeling Flirty’. What surprised all and many is that, she did a sign of illuminati and her fans are like, has she joined the global money club led by Lucifer? Let’s wait and see! SEE MORE PHOTOS: Source:  Nigeriafilms.com

Nigerians always complain of the poor quality of movies in Nollywood, however they still keep the faith that one day their prayers will be answered; well pray no more. Nollywood, recently produced its most expensive movie yet, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’.   The movie cost approximately N1.27 billion ($8m) to make. Half of a Yellow Sun’ is an adaptation of Chimanmanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel, ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’, the movie was shot at Tinapa Film Studio, Cross River State, and in the United Kingdom. The movie is yet to be released but we have confirmed that the movie was directed by Biyi Bandele who had most of its cast and crew flown from abroad. The cast comprised Britons and Nigerians such as Chiwetel Ejiofor (Kinky Boots, American Gangster, 2012, Salt); Thandie Newton (Mission: Impossible II, Crash, The Pursuit of Happiness); Anika Noni Rose (Dreamgirls, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, For Coloured Girls); Joseph Mawle (Women in Love, Game of Thrones); John Boyega (Att

Former Head of State and Congress for Progressive Change presidential candidate in the 2011 presidential election, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has said he will not disappoint Nigerians if given the mandate to lead in 2015. He also promised to transform the country positively. Addressing the CPC North-West zone Contact and Mobilisation  Committee in Kaduna on Wednesday, the former military leader insisted the elections of 2003, 2007 and that of 2011, lacked fairness and  credibility. Buhari, who said this had resulted in Nigeria’s poor development, pointed out that the Peoples Democratic Party had almost ruined the country. He, therefore, urged Nigerians to support the opposition parties merger  initiative to wrest power from PDP. National Coordinator of the Contact and Mobilisation Committee, Senator Solomon Ewuga, said the meeting  was  to sensitise party members on the planned merger. He  called for their support in order to ensure that the proposed merger

A suspected bomber met his waterloo in Kano on Wednesday as he was apprehended and killed by an angry mob near the Emir of Kano’s palace.   The suspected bomber was said to have been apprehended immediately after setting off an Improvised Explosive Device near a Mosque very close to the palace of the Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero on Wednesday night. The aggrieved residents were said to have defied the explosion, which went off at Kofar Fatalwa by the Kano Central Mosque, and arrested one of the bombers, who had arrived on a tricycle to set off the bomb. It was learnt that the residents pursued the terrorists after the blast, and burnt one of the men before handing over the other to security operatives. The spokesperson for the Joint Task Force in Kano, Ikedioha Iweha, confirmed the explosion. He also confirmed that no one died from the explosion, itself. It will be recalled that the Emir escaped an assassination attempt on January 19 when gunmen threw an IED at his con

The Yobe State Government has approved the release of N192.5 million to the State Independent Electoral Commission to ensure timely preparation for the June council elections. Alhaji Maimala Buni, the Special Adviser to State Governor on Political Affairs, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu on Wednesday. “Government approved the funds to ensure timely procurement of ballot papers and all other necessary materials needed for the success of the election. “The commission on its part has commenced preparations, according to the time-table, for a successful and credible exercise,’’ he said. Buni commended political parties in the state for their commitments to the election time-table and process. “The contribution and suggestions made by individual political parties at a stakeholder’s forum organised by the state electoral commission reflects the appreciation of the parties to government’s effort in promoting peace and democracy

Senate president, David Mark, said it was embarrassing that Nigeria was still being ranked among countries with polio pandemic.   He also blamed states and local governments in the country for not doing enough to complement Federal Government’s efforts at arresting the disease. “One of the countries in the world today where we still have polio is in Nigeria and it is a very embarrassing thing for us. I hope that we are doing something about it,” he said. Senator Mark, who yesterday spoke during debate on a motion on polio, regretted that in spite of the fact that the Federal Government was providing vaccines for immunisation of people against both polio and measles, state and local governments were redundant at playing complementary roles. After contribution from senators on the issue, the Senate, therefore, in a resolution, asked the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Orientation Agency and other relevant agencies to intensify sensitisation and awareness camp

Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has said he enjoyed good relationship with his players and that he was in contact with them regularly.   Joseph Yobo, the team’s captain at the 2013 African Cup of Nations tournament hit out at Keshi for not calling him up or informing him that he wasn’t in his plans for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Kenya which the Eagles drew 1–1. Keshi has subsequently omitted the Fenerbahce defender from Super Eagles’ busy schedule between the months of May and July. It means Yobo would miss out on the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil. But Keshi has now said the understanding with his players was such if any player went public on issues that would ordinarily have been resolved privately, that player was not his player. “I spoke with Keshi and he told me that he communicates with his players very often, and they talk on so many things,” a close source told futaa.com “If the players have any issues they would discuss them with him, and

President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday constituted a fresh body, the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North, in his bid to end the Boko Haram insurgency.   Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, who made this known in Abuja, said the decision followed Tuesday’s National Security Council’s consideration of a report of the technical committee commissioned by the government to review fresh ways of addressing security challenges in the North. Jonathan also constituted a second committee on small arms and light weapons. The two committees will be inaugurated on April 24, 2013 at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The 26- member Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of Security Challenges in the North is saddled with the responsibility of engaging members of Boko Haram in dialogue and designing a framework for resolving the violence precipitat

President Goodluck Jonathan’s scheduled visit to Lagos today has sparked a war of words between the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Presidency. National Publicity Secretary, ACN, Alhaji Lai Mohammed Jonathan is expected to arrive in Lagos on Thursday (today) en route to Ibafo in Ogun State where he will inaugurate WEMPCO’s Cold Roll Steel Plant. But the ACN said on Wednesday that the visit was primarily aimed at scuttling its national convention today at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos. The Presidency however described the allegation as baseless and another in the series of “wolf crying” that has become the ACN trait. The party, in a letter to the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), said Jonathan’s visit might lead to the closure of roads in the city, thus preventing its supporters across the country from coming for the convention. In the letter by its National Publicity Secretary and member of its national convention planning committee, Alhaji Lai Moham

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, yesterday came down heavily on ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s eight-year rule, describing the administration as the worst defaulter of the principles of the rule of law. He gave the indictment at the 30th Mallam Aminu Kano Memorial Lecture, which took place at the Sa’Adu Zungur Auditorium, Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Research and Training, Mambayya House, Kano. The lecture was chaired by Abubakar B Mahmood (SAN). It was attended by some serving lawmakers, politicians as well as academics including Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Alhaji Magaji Dambatta, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed and the Chairman of the Implementation Committee, North-West University, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar. In his paper titled: “The rule of law as fundamental condition for democracy and good governance,” the Speaker observed that the Obasanjo administration, “ contrived the politica

A plan by the Bayelsa State Police Command to give a mass burial to the corpses of the 12 policemen killed by armed men on April 5 may have hit the rocks, following the intervention of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar.   The Command has been inundated with demands by the families of the slain officers for the bodies of their relatives. They were, however, turned down by the commissioner, Kingsley Omire, on the grounds that the identity of the deceased officers could not be determined as the bodies, which were burnt in the attack, were also decomposing. According to sources, the IGP and other top police officers at Headquarters insisted that a medical examination must be conducted on the mutilated bodies to ascertain their individual identities.To that extent, the IGP sent a team of pathologists from Force Headquarters, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police, to conduct the examination. "The IG has ordered medical investigations to know the

Former corps member, Emmanuel Unogu, who served in Akwa Ibom State, has blamed the National Youth Service Corps for the loss of his right leg. Unogu with code AK/APO/08/027407 was called up during the Batch A 2008 NYSC and posted to Urueffong/Oruka Local Government after the orientation camp. Unfortunately for Unogu, on October 26 of the same year, he was involved in a ghastly accident while on his way to Oron. He said, “At Okossi, where I taught at the Comprehensive High School, there is no market. So it was customary for us all to go to Oron to get whatever we wanted. “On the day of the accident, I was headed for the market at Oron when the motorcycle I was on, collided with another.” Although no life was lost, the victims were seriously injured. Unogu said he broke his leg and had to be rushed to a local private hospital by his fellow corps members. Rejected by the hospital on the grounds that they were not equipped to handle his case, Unogu went to a local bone

The National Chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamangar Tukur said, yesterday, that his decision to support his son in his quest to become the next governor of Adamawa State was borne out of the principle of providing a level-playing field for all contestants. Speaking with newsmen, he questioned the rationale for querying his son’s ambition to be governor of the state, when indeed, his son had been in politics and was even eyeing the gubernatorial seat before he became the national chairman of the party. According to Tukur, Awaul should not be denied the opportunity of contesting the position of Adamawa State governorship simply because he happened to be the son of the incumbent chairman of the party and that after all, others who were governors of the state were children of some other individuals. His words, “my son has been in politics, long before I became the chairman of the party.  He was a member of the House of Representatives when I was

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