Federal Government recruits forest guards to fight Boko Haram

According to Punch, the Federal Government has resorted to recruiting forest guards to assist the Joint Task Force in combating Boko Haram insurgents in the northern part of the country.

Most of the insurgents are believed to be using routes cutting through forests in states like Borno, Yobe, Taraba and Adamawa to smuggle arms into the country from Cameroon and other neighbouring countries.

The Conservator General of National Park Service, Mr. Haruna Abubakar, told the House of Representatives Committee on Environment on Monday that the guards would help the JTF to comb the forests for hideouts of insurgents.Continue..

Oscar Pistorius breaks down in court in day two of his trial

Oscar Pistorius broke down in court today as his defense lawyer argued that Reeva Steenkamp was so badly brain damaged by the gunshot to her head she couldn't possibly have screamed.

Advocate Barry Roux made the claims in response to a neighbour's testimony that she heard a woman's screams after shots were fired on the night the model was killed.

He told the court: 'We will have experts state that there was serious brain damage after the shot to the head, that it would not have been possible for her to scream at all. With the head shot, she would have dropped down immediately.' Continue...

"I heard her scream terribly & yell for help"-Ist witness in Oscar Pistorius murder trial gives her account

The first witness to give evidence in Oscar Pistorius's murder trial told how she heard 'blood-curdling' screams from a woman followed by four gunshots on the night Reeva Steenkamp was killed.
According to Daily mail....

Michell Burger, who lives on a neighbouring estate, took to the stand just after the Paralympian pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend on Valentine's Day last year.
Speaking in Afrikaans through an interpreter, Ms Burger told how she and her husband had been woken at around 3am that morning by a woman screaming and shouting for help.Continue..

Another day, another Boko Haram attack. This time in Jakana, Borno

Over 200 people have been killed in the last two weeks in some troubled northern states by Boko Haram insurgents. Another 35 was added to that list after gunmen carrying AK47 rifles, Rocket Propelled Launchers, Improvised Explosive Devices and petrol bombs, invaded Jakana village in Konduga LGA, Borno State around 7pm yesterday Monday March 3rd.

They slaughtered residents of the community and set their homes ablaze in a raid that lasted for hours. They also burnt down shops and a police station along the Maiduguri-Damaturu road.

The attack in Jakana comes barely 12 hours after gunmen killed over 36 people including 3 soldiers in the Mafa Council area of the state.

"Don't address me as Mrs but Miss".-Married Chimamanda Adichie warns journalist

So award winning writer Chimanda-Adichie has many speculating if her marriage with U.S based doctor, Dr. Ivara Esegee is intact after she told a Sunnewsonline journalist to address her as "Miss" not "Mrs".

Mrs Chimamanda Adichie, wel-come back to Nigeria…

Before we start, please, I just want to say that my name is Chimamanda Adichie. That’s how I want it; that’s how I’m ad-dressed, and it is not Mrs but Miss.  Ms: that’s how I want it. I am saying this, because I just got a mail from my manager this morning. It seems that there are people who attended the church service, and they wrote about it, addressing me as Mrs. Chimamanda (Esega). I didn’t like that at all. So my name is Chimamanda Adichie, full stop!

You mean?

This is because it is also responsible that people be called what they want to be called.

In one of your interview published in the some newspapers, (including an interview in Sunday Sun with Akubuiro in 2007), you said you’re a feminist. Can you throw more light on that?Continue..

Forbes names Dangote 23rd richest in the world, Bill Gates No.1

According to a Forbes magazine list released yesterday Monday March 3rd, Nigerian industrialist, Aliko Dangote is the 23rd richest man in the world. Wow! He made history as the first black man to break into the rank of top 25 richest people in the world.

In 2012, he was the 76th richest man in the world. He moved from that to 43rd richest man in 2013 and now to 23rd in 2014 with his wealth jumping from $16.1billion to $25billion.

The next Nigerian on the list is Glo chief Mike Adenuga, who is 325th richest person with $4.6bn. Then Mrs Folorunsho Alakija in 687th position with a personal wealth of $2.5bn.

Former Microsoft chairman Bill Gates takes back the No.1 position as the richest man in the world with $76billion.

The epic Oscar selfie that broke Twitter record, retweeted 2.2m times

Oscar host Ellen DeGeneres took a moment out from hosting the show to take a selfie with some of Hollywood's biggest stars, including Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Lupita Nyong'o, Channing Tatum and Kevin Spacey in a photo taken by Bradley Cooper. 

When Ellen posted it on her twitter page, it broke twitter record for most retweets. The pic got over 2.2million retweets beating the 778,000 most retweets previously held by President Barack Obama. The tweet also 'broke Twitter' as the site crashed for a few minutes because of the traffic from the pic described as the 'best photo ever!' See more photos after the cut...

Lupita, Matthew Mcconaughey win 2014 Oscars. Full list of winners

 Last night Kenyan beauty Lupita Nyong'o won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her first feature film.Her Speech below..


   "When I look down at this golden statue, may it remind me and every little child, that no matter where        you're from, your dreams are valid" Lupita said during her acceptance speech

Congrats to Matthew Mcconaughey who won Best Actor in a Leading Role. See full list of winners at the 86th Academy Awards after the cut....

2014 Oscars Red Carpet Photos

 Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence and Kate Hudson looked amazing on the 2014 Oscars red carpet that took place on Sunday night March 2nd at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California. Continue to see more photos...

Kanu Nwankwo undergoes heart surgery again!

Nigerian football legend and founder of the Kanu Heart Foundation, KHF, Nwankwo Kanu recently underwent a corrective heart surgery at the Cleveland Hospital Ohio, USA, Vanguard reports

The surgery was carried out during one of his normal yearly routine medical checks at the hospital following the 1997 heart surgery at the same hospital.

Co-ordinator of the Kanu Heart Foundation, Pastor Onyebuchi Abia confirmed the success of the surgery adding that the former Super Eagles captain has since left the intensive care unit, ICU, of the hospital and is recuperating in the hospital

"He’ll be back home in a few days time. I spoke with him Sunday afternoon and he confirmed he’s in a stable condition.’’, Abia said in a statement.

His younger brother Ogbonna Kanu confirmed to me that the surgery did take place and Kanu is recovering well.

Social Media in the Jonathanian Age - Written by Reno Omokri

Here's another piece written by him...

Increasingly, Social Media status is depending on how many friends you have on Facebook or how many followers you have on Twitter and so much investment goes into this because many derive their sense of self worth from these numbers. 

Sophisticated users of Social Media have wised up to the fact that followership grows when you diss (excuse my colloquial) authority figures such as government leaders and other leaders in society.

Now, where many on Social Media are faced with a choice of speaking their minds or speaking what is likely to be popular, many cannot resist the pressure to play to the gallery.Continue...

Nigerian government grants Islamist terror preacher visa

The Federal Government granted visa to renowned extremist and Islamic terror preacher, Dr Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips, who has been banned from a number of countries because of his messages. The Minister of Interior, Abba Moro said Philips was granted visa because he 'met the requirements

The  TelegraphNG reports

Philips who lives in Qatar has been issued a Nigerian Visa to visit and preach in the Country. The cleric has already been banned from countries like Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America, Kenya, amongst others.

Reports had it that the cleric celebrated his Visa issuance with his followers on his facebook on Sunday morning, saying, “Al hamdu lillaah. I just got a visa for Nigeria and will be going there in a few days, in shaa allaah. So, I hope to see all my Nigerian brothers and sisters. Baarakallaahu feekum”.Continue..

Newly single Paula Patton wows in yellow, as she's said to be open to reconciliation

Newly single Paula Patton looked stunning in a yellow mini dress at the 2014 Film Independent Spirit Awards which held yesterday Saturday March 1 in Santa Monica, California. 

The actress who announced her separation from husband of 8 years singer Robin Thicke just last week Monday, is said to be unimpressed by her estranged husband's emotional performance on Thursday evening in Fairfax where he told his fans that he's trying to 'win his girl back'. Continue...

Lupita's speech and Dencia's response make it to MediaTakeOut

Check out MediaTakeOut's report below...

Lupita gave a moving speech during the Essence Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon. She spoke about how she learned to love her beautiful Blackness. It was a touching and moving speech, but in it - she managed to shade the f*ck out of another African actress, named Denicia.

You see, Denecia is selling a new "skin bleaching cream' to Black women, and Lupita mentioned it in her speech.

Well that shade was responded to - by Denecia. According to Dencia, Lupita still has color issues - and that she only dates White men.

Wizkid celebrates his parents

Wizkid shared a pic of his parents on his instagram page today and wrote that everything he is today he owes to them...

Chris Brown diagnosed with mental illness

Chris Brown has been diagnosed as bi-polar, suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and self-medicating inappropriately. This was revealed during his last court appearance...

He appeared in court yesterday for a probation hearing and a letter from his rehab facility gave the singer high marks for improvement but suggested he remain in treatment.

The letter, obtained by E! News, reads in part,

"Mr. Brown will also require close supervision by his treating physician in order to ensure his bipolar mental health condition remains stable. It is not uncommon for patients with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Bipolar II to use substances to self-medicate their biomedical mood swings and trauma triggers."

"Mr. Brown became aggressive and acted out physically due to his untreated mental health disorder, severe sleep deprivation, inappropriate self-medicating and untreated PTSD."

Chris was ordered to remain in treatment for two more months. His next hearing is set for April 23.

Photo: Sound Sultan shows off his new Toyota SUV

The singer and dad of two shared this pic on instagram this morning and wrote: "#Instacollage! No children, but this one moves too! The New Ninja Mobile is home".

Photos: Lupita Nyong'o steps out in strapless grey tweed midi-dress

 Lupita attended yesterday's Women In Film Pre-Oscar Cocktail Party held in West Hollywood in thisgorgeous cutout grey tweed midi-dress. She took her mum Dorothy as her date

Kidnappers demand N500m ransom to free Pres. Jonathan's uncle

Abductors of Inengite Nitabai, the 70-year old uncle of President Goodluck Jonathan, have demanded a N500m ransom, Sahara Reporters report.

A security source said that the abductors threatened to kill him if the family fails to produce the money. The source also said the family had constituted a committee to evaluate the demand, establish negotiations with the abductors and facilitate his release.

He said the kidnappers had also warned against the involvement of security operatives in the matter.
"The kidnappers contacted the family four days after and demanded a whopping sum of N500m. It is believed that the family of the victim has begun negotiations with the hoodlums," he said.

Dencia reacts to Lupita's speech, says she doesn't know who she is

Dencia has reacted to Lupita Nyong'o's speech at Essence Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon where the Oscar nominated actress made reference to her skincare product, Whitenicious. Dencia tweeted that she'd never heard of Lupita. See her tweets after the cut...