Jerry Douglas' Blog

Don Akim, 43, and Rosanna Beckett, 33. They live in Lowestoft, Suffolk, with daughter Carmen. Have always kept fit, but began bodybuilding only four months ago. Won three trophies at Miami Pro World Champions in St Albans. Couple met eight years ago in Norwich nightclub. Don is a ship worker, Rosanna a dancer. Engaged bodybuilders become first couple to BOTH win world championship honours at same event.

Multiple award winning entertainer, D’banj has put plans in motion to shut Lagos down with another five-star concert, featuring live appearances from some of the finest stars from the continent and beyond as he marks his 33rd birthday anniversary in grand style. The MOBO and BET-winning hit-maker says, he’s throwing a big, spectacular gig, at Eko Hotel in Lagos, on Sunday, June 23, to launch the debut DKM album, and celebrate his recent achievements with friends and fans in Nigeria. The hugely anticipated concert will coincide with D’Banj’s 33rd birthday, and he said, last weekend that fans can expect to catch electrifying performances from him and his friends, including Fally Ipupa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), 2face Idibia, 2Chainz(USA), Olamide and other local and international big names. The big-budget concert will also feature DB Records acts KaySwitch, JSol, JSleek and others. ’It’ll be my first time in Nigeria and I can’t wait’, 2Chainz says in a  video...

Overzealous security officers on Thursday shut invited bishops, ministers, as well as state governors out of the burial service of Chinua Achebe. This happened moments before the arrival of President Goodluck Jonathan, who was accompanied by his Ghanaian counterpart, John Dramani. At the end of a moving sermon in which he highlighted Achebe’s immortality, Rt. Reverend Ikechi Okafor said that he “deliberately” left the matter till the end of his preaching. “If these priests are not here, Achebe will not be buried. The security men broke the rule of order of service by locking the bishops outside. Without the men of God, everybody will be seated here doing nothing,” said Rev. Nwosu, the Archbishop of Aba, who represented Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion. While half of the priests were standing at the altar awaiting the others to join them, the other half were locked out alongside Governors Peter Obi and Theodore Orji of Anambra and...

Africa’s richest man and President of Dangote Group Alhaji Aliko Dangote yesterday promised to end fuel importation in Nigeria in four years when his proposed refinery comes on stream. Work would commence later in the year on the proposed 400,000 barrels per day refinery which is expected to cost $4.25 billion, to be located in Ondo State, Dangote said in an interview after the Annual General Meeting of Dangote Cement in Abuja. Dangote group would provide half of the money while the rest would be sourced from two foreign banks and Nigerian banks. “We hope to start something by end of the year. We have put down 50 percent of the money. We have secured $4.25 billion from two foreign banks and the rest from local banks,” Dangote said. Dangote is worth over $16 billion in net assets, according to Forbes Magazine, making him the richest on the continent. He said while his investing in Nigeria is an ongoing business, he hopes to top it to over $20 billion in the next three year...

Nollywood actresses are increasingly cementing their romantic relationships and walking down the isle in secret. The development is becoming so frequent that it appears a normal practice in the industry as these babes now prefer private ceremonies to lavished public events as far as wedding and traditional marriages are concerned. The big marriage arrangements embraced by the likes of top actresses, Jennifer Eliogu, Ini Edo, Dakore Egbuson, Mercy Johnson, Muma Gee, Tricia Esiegbe, Stephenie Okereke and many others have become outdated as actresses no longer print wedding invitations or mention their marriage plans to friends. While it is no longer news that secret weddings have become a norm, sources disclosed that they have various reasons why these show biz practitioners prefer to seal their relationships in secret. It was revealed that a number of them were being beaten by the bug of ill-luck in the past to the extent that they prefer maintaining a low profile until after the k...

French actress Frederique Bel pulled out all the stops at the Cannes Film Festival this week - baring her nipples in a completely see-through dress. Her stunt shamelessly succeeded in stealing the limelight from Carey Mulligan and Isla Fisher at a screening of their new film The Great Gatsby. But the Gallic goddess is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to attention-grabbing antics. Here's TEN stars who'll stop at nothing - and wear virtually nothing - to make sure all eyes are on them. RIHANNA NICKI MINAJ JODIE MARSH LADY GAGA LIL KIM Micaela Shaefer ROSE McGowan HELEN FLANAGAN COCO KATIE PRICE Source:  UK Sun

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku says a move to Borussia Dortmund would appeal to him if he is sent out on loan again next season. The 20-year old has had a rewarding season at West Brom, scoring 17 times, and he is set to return to his parent club in time for pre-season. Lukaku only managed eight league appearances for the Blues in his debut season and the Belgium international admits he would be keen on a move to the Champions League finalists. "I'll start the season with Chelsea then I will speak with the management to discuss the best choice. I am a realist," he is quoted as saying in The Sun. "I still need to grow and for that I need to have time to play during the next season. Dortmund would be a good choice."

Close your eyes for a moment. Listen to his velvety voice for some fleeting seconds. Hear the modulation in his voice that rises with the intensity of the subject. And for one moment, you would think you are right there in the awesome presence of the master, the father of modern African Literature, the great Professor Chinualumogu Albert Achebe, who the world stands in awe to bid a final bye today. Remove the element of age, and you find the perfect replica of the departed wordsmith, Chinua Achebe, who conquered the world at just 28 with his epic, Things Fall Apart, in the subject of this interview. At 49, Professor Ikechukwu Achebe is the chip off the old block. As his legendary father would have described him, were he to return from the land of the spirits and manufacture another masterpiece, Ikechukwu Achebe is his father’s child. The true son of his father. As preparations to receive the remains of the departed iconic writer back home hit a frenetic height, upper week, I co...

Since the decline in Internet related frauds, especially the infamous ‘Yahoo Yahoo’, unemployed, frustrated and ‘ambitious’ Nigerian youths, especially those with the get-rich-quick mindset have moved on to a more deadly but lucrative money spinning venture-sale of kidneys.  With the worsening economic and resultant unemployment situation in the country, the business, though old, has remained a growing fad. On Thursday, April 18, 2013, Kingsley Odoh, a Chemical Engineering graduate of Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, flew into Nigeria, from Malaysia. Immediately after his ‘glorious’ arrival in Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, the atmosphere seemed transformed. Apart from his appearances oozing riches, his bravado also signaled that ‘levels have changed,’ as he treated longtime friends to sumptuous meals and expensive wines in one of Enugu costliest hotels, Protea Hotel. As if that shindig was not enough, for many weeks, probably till today, ...

Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano has revealed that the Premier League club want to win five trophies over the next five years. Manuel Pellegrini is widely expected to be named as the replacement for sacked manager Roberto Mancini later this summer, with Soriano overseeing an overhaul of City's structure as well as the appointment of their next boss. The club are aiming high - demonstrated by the recent decision to sack Mancini after finishing second in the Premier League and reaching the FA Cup final - with Soriano admitting their next appointment will be a 'senior manager'. Soriano said: "I think that next season is going to be much better, I am convinced about that. "It doesn't mean we are going to win one or two titles, but in the grand scheme of things, if we look at the next five years and I could plan now, I would say I want to win five trophies in the next five years. "That may mean we win no trophies one year and tw...