Jerry Douglas' Blog

  In some parts of the world, Africa in particular, Nigerian movies reign supreme, and the actors are semi-gods. With their repertoire of popular movies, they have undoubtedly mended cracks in the union of some viewers, but then, many of their own marriages have been characterised by heartbreaks, separations and divorces. They have made their way into the hearts of millions of people, who dream to be like them. But either at home or abroad, there is one thing none of their fans will pray for —failed marriages and heartbreaks. This development seems to be more rampant among the movie stars. While some of them have remained eligible spinsters/bachelors, those that managed to walk down the aisle barely sustain the momentum. The list of movie stars with failed marriages is endless, and with the recent decision of actress Laide Bakare to walk out of her marriage to Mr. Okunfulire, the last has not been heard. Laide Bakare, after about three years of d...

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A Port Harcourt High Court has stopped the PDP from taking further action against the Governor Chibuike Amaechi as the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum pending hearing on the suit challenging the suspension by the Party. Justice M. Ogbuji of the State High Court issued the order following the preliminary application brought by Governor Amaechi’s Team of Lawyers led by the a Senior Advocate of Nigeria A. Olujumi. Justice Ogbuji ordered the PDP to maintain the status quo in the matter and appear before it on the 6th of June 2013. The Court also directed Governor Amaechi to serve the PDP the necessary court processes and also make publications in National Dailies. Meanwhile the lead Counsel for Governor Amaechi Akin Olujimi told newsmen that they are in Court to ask the Court to set aside the suspension of Governor Amaechi by the PDP. “There was a purported suspension of His Excellency by the PDP, we want it quashed, so we came to Court, and of c...

Security authorities yesterday said the large cache of weapons recovered in a specially-built bunker in Kano belonged to Lebanese group Hezbollah and was to be deployed for attacks on Israeli and Western interests in Nigeria.   The weapons, recovered in a raid that started Monday night at the Bompai area, included anti-tank weapons, guns, bombs, grenades and ammunitions. They were found concealed inside an armoury underneath a living room in the house, said to be occupied by a Lebanese.   Conducting journalists round the building yesterday, Commander of the 3 Brigade Kano Brig-Gen. Ilyasu Abba and the Kano State Director of State Security Service (SSS) Mr. Bassey Etteng said the weapons were brought in by a Hezbollah cell for use to target Western and Israeli interests.   Hezbollah is a Shia military and political movement based in Lebanon considered by the United States to be a terrorist organisation.   The security chiefs said investigation had...

The Joint Task Force on Thursday said it had uncovered a Lebanon-based Hezbollah armoury and terror cell in Bompai, Kano State. The force, which said it found large cache of arms and ammunition, also confirmed the arrest of three persons in connection with the armoury and the cell. A Lebanese national currently out of the country reportedly owns the premises where the armoury and the cell were found at No 3, Gaya Road, Off Bompai Road in the ancient city. A statement by the JTF spokesman, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, said the JTF operatives, comprising officials of the 3rd Army Brigade in Kano and the State Security Service conducted the operations. The operatives, he said, uncovered an underground bunker in the premises where large quantities of assorted weapons were hidden. Iweha, who said the construction of the bunker was special, listed anti-tank weapons, rocket propelled guns and anti-tank/personnel mines as some of the dangerous weapons found in the premises. He ad...

The Federal Government may soon commence a  clamp down  on “extremist groups”, especially the Oodua People’s Congress and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra. President Goodluck Jonathan has said the OPC, MASSOB and  the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram, constitute threats to national security. “The Nigerian state faces three fundamental security challenges posed by extremist groups like Boko Haram in the North; the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra in the South-East; and the Oodua People’s Congress in the South-West. “The activities of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra and OPC, though not as violently intense as those of Boko Haram, they still pose a serious security challenge to the Nigerian state,” Jonathan said in his 234-page mid-term report presented to Nigerians as part of the activities marking the nation’s Democracy Day, a copy of which was obtained by our...

Nineteen governors out of the nation’s 36 were absent when Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang-led faction of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum opened its secretariat in Abuja on Thursday. The secretariat is located at Nana Close, Maitama. Signs that things were not going to work well started manifesting when words went round that Vice President Namadi Sambo, who was supposed to be the guest of honour at the event, would not come and did not send any representatives. The acting Sole Administrator of the faction’s secretariat, Mr. Osaro Onaiwu, had told our correspondent on Tuesday that the vice president would inaugurate the secretariat. Aside Jang, governors that were at the event, were those of Kogi, Taraba, Kaduna, Cross River, Katisina, Abia, Anambra, Delta and Ebonyi. Others included Ondo, Benue (deputy), Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Gombe (deputy) and Bayelsa. Others stayed away from the event. While unveiling the secretariat, Jang said two governors sent their apologies. ...

Indications emerged, Thursday, that the north might sanction prominent politicians from the region found to be fraternising with President Goodluck Jonathan with a view to scuttling its desire of occupying the Presidency in 2015. It was learnt that the decision to clip the wings of northern politicians who were yet to see the need for the country’s top political office to revert to the region, was taken at a meeting of the Northern Elders’ Forum, NEF, during one of its recent meetings in one of the states, which is under the state of emergency. At the meeting, which had some governors and many elite from the north in attendance, strategies for voting out President Jonathan was elaborately discussed and agreed upon. It was learnt that one of the weapons to be applied in cajoling influential northerners particularly governors and lawmakers, in railroading into the northern agenda, is to brand the unwilling ones as ‘enemies’ of the region and expose them to public. Fraternising...

The House of Representatives, yesterday, endorsed a 14 years jail sentence with no option of fine for same sex couples. The House also outlawed gay clubs and societies in the country. The lawmakers took these decisions while considering the report on a “Bill for an Act to prohibit marriage or civil union entered between persons of same sex, solemnization of same and other matters related”. The House also placed a 10 years jail term for members of gay associations or those engaged in gay processions. The lawmakers resolved that any marriage or civil union entered into by persons of same gender is prohibited. The bill on same sex was introduced on the floor of the House last year. A public hearing on the matter was held in October, 2012. The senate had also passed a bill prohibiting same sex union with similar jail terms for offenders. With the consideration of the report, the bill will now wait for harmonisation with the senate’s version. Yesterday’s consideration of th...

The Esogban of Benin Kingdom and chairman of Benin Forum, Chief David Edebiri, yesterday, said that impeaching Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, will not guarantee a second term ticket for President Goodluck Jonathan. He urged the President to give the people the dividends of democracy by ensuring steady power, industrialisation and tackle security challenges, rather than fight political battles with governors over 2015 presidential election. The elder statesman, who disagreed with the assertion by President Jonathan that his administration had performed creditably well, said: “I am not totally in agreement that democracy is already here in Nigeria. We are working towards achieving true democracy but it has really not come. A typical example of that is the current issue of the election of Nigeria Governors Forum, where 35 people met to elect one man and the aftermath now is a disputation as to what happened and what did not happen. “I think if the President wants to...

Within a year , Dbanj's iconic song , Oliver Twist has gathered over 20 million views on Youtube and still counting! No other Nigerian locally originated song has attracted such huge viewership across the world as this song. This is a special moment in the career of a Nigerian song. According to Wikipedia and Youtube sources , the song was No 1 in most African countries, No 2 in the U.K. R & B chart , No 9 in U.K. national chart, No 1 in Romania, No 10 in Belgium, No 12 in Scotland, No 24 in Slovakia and No 19 in Armenian music chart. Recent U.S. survey also listed the song in Top 5 workout songs in U.S.A. , according to U.S. morning show, Live With Kelly and Michael. Dbanj's Oliver Twist has confirmed itself as a classic.

Nigeria’s former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on May 29 – Democracy Day – reflected on Nigeria’s democratic journey so far and concluded that it must be preserved. The Turakin Adamawa who told a story probably never been heard before by majority of Nigerians in 45 tweets, hoped that it would help “many of our young people who never saw the evils of military rule, appreciate our democratic journey.” In a tribute to those whom he described as “fallen heroes of democracy,” who are “unsung and oft forgotten”, Atiku went down memory lane to as far back as the late 80′s. “May 29 is Democracy Day in Nigeria, a day we celebrate democracy. Personally, I celebrate our democracy heroes on the day. “Yesterday, I promised a story. I will begin shortly. “In the late 80′s I met Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (SMY). He needed help Customs approvals. We became friends. This was the beginning -1 “About that time, SMY was bringing individuals across Nigeria to form a movement to pressure ...

Chelsea defender David Luiz has played down reports that he could be set for a summer switch to Barcelona. The Brazil international, who usually operates at centre-back but was deployed in midfield at times by outgoing Blues boss Rafa Benitez, was previously a target for the La Liga side. Luiz, who was one of the star performers as the Blues secured third place in the Premier League and Europa League glory, admits he admires Barca's style of play, but is in the dark over the latest speculation. The former Benfica man is quoted as saying in the Daily Star: "My objective is to be happy and this is possible playing always in a team that controls the ball. "Barcelona is the team that has developed the best football in the last few years. "I know Barca were interested in my services in the past but now I do not have any news." Source:  sky sports

England's friendly against Brazil will go ahead on Sunday after a safety certificate was granted for the Maracana stadium. The fixture had been thrown into doubt when a local judge issued an order saying the match at Rio de Janeiro's renovated ground could not proceed due to safety concerns. But Judge Adriana Costa dos Santos has reversed her ruling and a statement from the Rio state government confirmed the stadium complies with "all safety rules". "All safety requirements for the friendly between Brazil and England have been complied with and, because of a bureaucratic failure, the appraisal from the public ministry that proves the compliance with the rules on safety at the Maracana have not been sent to Suderj," the statement read. Suderj is a division of the Rio de Janeiro state authority that holds responsibility for administrative issues with major sports venues. The renovation of the 78,000 seater Maracana was completed last month, bu...

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has again hinted he may be leaving Anfield in the next transfer window. The future of Suarez has been the subject of much speculation, with mixed messages emanating from the Uruguay international's camp in recent days. Suarez indicated he would like to play in Spain earlier in the week before his agent told Sky Sports News the 26-year-old was happy at the club, but the player has now again alluded to his departure. "It's a good moment for a change of environment because of all I've been through in England, where I haven't been judged as a player but based on other things," he said. "I had a hard time, very hard, and the things that have been said are lies. One has limits and the family also suffers. "It's nothing against Liverpool, on the contrary, I feel very comfortable at the club, but I have a daughter and I do not want to hear bad things about her father." He added: "I do not know wh...