CAR- French troops to begin disarming rebels!

It has been reported that French troops will begin to disarm militants in the Central African Republic come Monday December 9th, 2013, It was also reported that French presence in the capital of Bangui and nearby towns was creating tensions with former Seleko rebels on ground.

A French soldier in the Central African Republic (CAR) capital of Bangui.

French troops are set to start disarming militias in the Central African Republic (CAR) following a wave of sectarian violence in the capital of Bangui that has left around 400 people dead.

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said French soldiers would begin disarming rebels on Monday morning. “The period of impunity is over,” he said on French RTL radio on Sunday evening.

Calm has been largely restored to Bangui since French troops began patrolling its streets and neighbouring towns in the wake of a new UN Security Council-backed mission that allows the use of force to protect the lives of civilians.
Many terrified residents of the capital still refused to leave their homes after rival militia groups attacked civilians with knives and machetes last week.
“People do feel safer. This doesn’t mean that there are no militias left in Bangui or the countryside,” said FRANCE 24’s Alexander Turnbull in Bangui.
“It’s true that tensions have eased a little but people still stay at home as much as they can. The real difficulty for them at the moment is trying to find food supplies," he said.

Tensions rising
French army spokesman Colonel Gilles Jaron said the French military mission had reached its full strength of 1,600 by Sunday.
Following the deadly violence, the African Union plans to boost the regional MISCA force on the ground to 6,000 troops from a planned 3,600.
Jaron also noted tension between the French soldiers and former Seleka rebels who have largely been in control of Bangui since a March coup.
“I think they have understood they will have to be re-grouped, disarmed, that the French force is imposing itself in the capital at their expense, which is creating tension," Jaron noted.
A French patrol came under fire near the airport on Sunday but a military source said no one was injured.
The Seleka rebels mostly come from CAR’s Muslim minority. While the transitional president, Michel Djotodia, officially disbanded the Seleka alliance, in reality, the former rebel leader lost control of rebel fighters.
Meanwhile, Christian vigilante groups known as the “anti-balaka” sprang up to defend their communities but some also have committed revenge attacks  on Muslim communities.


Source: FRANCE 24 and  AFP

Cyber Bullying: This Toke Makinwa and Linda Ikeji Issue!

Toke Makinwa and Linda Ikeji Pictured below:

Let me start by saying, we sometimes avoid those 
touchy subjects because we wish to avoid “drama” 
but Cyber Bullying is one concept it seems we are 
yet to get a full grasp on its consequences. Currently, 
in America there is a full campaign launched against 
bullying in general, where different celebs have been 
actively campaigning to stop bullying. We have seen 
cases of young ones committing  suicide because 

they couldn’t handle the bullying. I pray and hope 
things don’t get this far in my motherland, although 
I suspect it may have and we just don’t document it 
as much.


For the sake of time, I will try not to over talk but a 
lot has to be said to make my point very clear so kindly 
excuse the long read, (I tend to do that when i am 
passionate about something). I know a lot keep quiet 
to avoid backlash but hey, it is what it is.

There is this ”trend” of making vicious comments about 
others that has become popularized by certain blogs. 
Overtime, its now seeming like the norm, with more 
people appearing to see nothing wrong with it. 
We even have corporate brands willing to identify 
with such sites irrespective of the damage or harm 
they cause.

I have seen it happen to celebrities and non celebrities 
alike, some notable names being Tonto Dikeh, Dbanj, and most 
especially Karen Igho, just to name a few. Its like the general 
mentality has become, if you ever become the topic on certain 
blogs, get ready to either grow thick skin or have a mini heart 
attack. We are not all built the same so lets hope those 
who will still be victim, do the former.

This trend of Vicious, Nasty, Bitter comments can make your 
skin crawl. Yeah, nobody holy pass and I am certainly not an 
angel, we tease each other all the time, some of us even enjoy 
a bit of fashion police when we see things outright wrong but 
we should also know where to draw the line. I am sure we 
can all make our point without being outright wicked. I 
have seen some comments about an outfit I wore to a 
concert on Bella Naija that made me laugh, like, these 
people got jokes for days. They were not what I would 
have liked to hear but they were also not wicked or cruel. 
but I digress!

They say as a celeb you are meant to have thick skin, but in 
the same token, as a human being we must all set good examples 
for those who look up to us. Imagine having a generation of people 
who see nothing wrong with hurting each other all in the name of fun.

Anyways lets fast forward to why we are here. There is a blog 
very notable for nasty comments, in fact more people visit the 
blog because of its comments than its content. The blog is owned 
and run by a lady named Linda. Please keep in mind,  I have nothing 
against her, she is a hard working lady who has made a name for 
herself, but I also wont for the sake of status not call a spade 
a spade. I am not singling her out just for the sake of it, 
but she just happens to be the 2nd party involved in the 
issue I want to discuss.

I will make my case based on my observations about her blog 
or her (it gets confusing seeing as she approves the comments 
that make public view so if she wasn’t ok with it, we probably 
wouldn’t see it). You are probably asking yourself, as long as 
its not me being targeted, why should I be concerned? guess 
what, it is all of our business because God forbid what is being 
seen as “ok” now, may affect you someday.

Aside from being a simple to read source for news, overtime, 
the blog has grown into some sort of “haven” for anonymous 
commenters who wish to pour out the darkness inside them all 
in the name of commenting about others. They have even taken
it several notches up and attack each other. Today, I saw tweets 
to the effect that Toke Makinwa was being attacked on a certain 
blog. One of the retweets took me to the source and my heart 
was like, something has to be said. If it changes something, fine. 
If it doesn’t, that’s fine too.

What I noted was that the past few days has seen blogger Linda 
hammer on and on about Toke’s Relationship breaking up, or 
posting a reference to being engaged for too long, or posting 
pictures of the babe calling it ”stunning” in her usual sarcastic 
style, and allowing her readers do the rest. When I mean 
“the rest” I am talking about the outright nasty, vicious, 
malicious comments posted about this lady from people 
who do not even know her.  Lets not forget some past 
commenters who would even claim to know the subject 
personally and proceed to post “personal” information 
about the person.. if they are lies, we do not know, 
but we still get to watch the defamation go on and all these 
are approved by the blog owner.


Toke may not say anything because she wishes to appear strong
and non chalant, but damn, she isn’t made of steel and has blood 
in her veins and emotions  like we all do. Last time I checked, most 
people that have been a victim of cyber bullying such as this are 
human too. Also, there is no age restriction on these blogs so 
your kids are reading and learning. To those who make 
these comments its “fun”, but when does fun turn into torment 
and emotional abuse?

Toke and I are not close friends so I have nothing to gain from 
defending her except calling a spade a spade. Everything beyond 
and above this point is my opinion and analysis of the situation. 
If I am wrong, my apologies in advance but I seriously doubt ill
 be far from the truth.

In my opinion I feel she(Linda) put Toke under the “hate” radar 
simply because she(Toke) made a statement on her radio show 
that “Linda was not a role model”. Linda took it very personal 
because she took to her blog to post one long epistle about bla 
bla bla. After that, its been Toke this, Toke that, knowing full 
well the type of readers she has and the type of comments 
it will generate (its like the same ol thing, different person).. 
ahh ahhh. If Toke doesn’t see Linda as a role mode, She(Toke) 
is entitled to her opinion and as long as she was not abusive 
when she said it, I see no harm in that. So why take it 
so personal to the point of being vindictive?

You see, the irony in the comment Toke made is that, by constantly
 putting her under attack from her readers, she is indirectly proving 
Toke right. I sure as hell would not want my child seeing someone 
who promotes hate as a role model and I am sure neither would you. 
Like I said, this trend did not start today, its been ongoing and has 
easily become what her blog is known for. Lets not get into the 
“Failed Model” comment from Tonto Dike that got Tonto 1st place 
“lets verbally bash her” position. At least Tonto can rest small as 
it seems Toke is the hot new “lets verbally bash her” in town.

If someone is having personal issues, offer words of support and 
move on, if she likes going to parties, free her because she is using 
her legs and not yours. If she wants to vlog about her life, take 
what you can from it and keep it moving. Try and distinct 
constructive comments from vicious ones. Try to distinct funny 
from wicked.

From the little I know about her, Toke Makinwa is a sweet lady. 
She is friendly, funny and down to earth so it leaves me wondering, 
what all these people raining hurtful abuses about her stand to gain. 
Even if she is not all these things, if they don’t know her personally, 
what do they stand to gain? You want to know the answer? 
Absolutely NOTHING!. They comment, laugh, and move on. 
To them its entertainment but to the person who is being 
picked on, its not close to funny. When it becomes a family 
member, its not close to funny. If it is your child someday, 
it will not be close to funny.

With that said, I hope people search their conscience before 
they comment. If not, no problem. We can’t see you as anonymous 
but God knows how its going down. Please keep in mind, I know 
some will try to make a mountain out of a molehill about what 
I just wrote no be today una don dey do am, I will not engage 
you so don’t waste your time.  ps:Its easy to say American 
blogs do it to, but I ask, why must we copy the negative

Lastly if Linda decides to post another one of her “epistles” 
simply because I have said something a lot of people who 
smile in her face and a lot of celebrities, say behind her back. 
Its all good, free world. I write not to offend anyone. 
I understand that the truth can sometimes be a bitter pill to 
swallow. All the same, its all love.

I have had some deep discussions about this wieght a few 
big name celebrities and hopefully, as the years progress, 
something can be done to see a big reduction in cyber 
bullying. Lets aspire to love more and hate less.

Sorry for the long post, if there are any typos or grammatical 
errors, sorry for that too.  God Bless.

By Toni Payne

Nelson Mandela dies at 95!

Our Hero has finally taken a bow



You will be greatly missed Madiba!



Adieu

CLASHES SWEEP CAR CAPITAL AS FRENCH TROOPS ENTER CAR!

The French army deployed 250 troops to the capital of the Central African Republic, the Defence Ministry said on Thursday after clashes broke out between former rebels and militias.

"At this stage 250 French soldiers have been deployed in Bangui to secure and patrol," ministry spokesman Gilles Jarron told a news briefing, adding that the clashes were continuing.

Earlier, a Reuters witness said at least 23 people were killed and 64 others wounded in armed clashes in Bangui.

It was gathered that armed Christian fighters who support the country's exiled president assaulted the capital at dawn on Thursday with rifles and machetes, leaving nearly 100 people dead. Shrouded bodies were lined up in a mosque as dozens of wounded lay on blood-stained hospital floors.

The ambush on Muslim neighborhoods of Bangui came as the United Nations voted to send a contingent of French troops to try to stabilize the country, and French President Francois Hollande announced plans to double the force. The daylong gunbattle touched even the most protected parts of the capital, including the residence of the prime minister, underscoring the volatile mix of arms and ideology facing the arriving French force.

Scores died in Thursday's attack, including 48 people whose bodies were laid out at a mosque in a northern suburb of Bangui. Separately, a Doctors Without Borders spokeswoman, Amelie Ketoff, said another 50 deaths had been confirmed, bringing the toll to 98.

Some died of bullet wounds, others from what appeared to be machete blows using a weapon known in the local language as a "balaka." The Christian militia, whose members are believed to have led the attack Thursday, call themselves the "anti-balaka," reminiscent of the horrific violence once seen in Rwanda.

Rebel leader-turned-president Michel Djotodia appealed for calm, even as his residence was looted and vandalized by the fighters. He announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew in a bid to stem the threat of retaliatory violence against Christians, following the early morning attack on Muslim neighborhoods.

"This morning the enemies of Central African Republic wanted to destabilize the country but they have failed," Djotodia announced in a speech broadcast in the Sango language on state radio.

France already has hundreds of soldiers in Bangui, and an armored personnel carrier and other military vehicles patrolled the streets. The roads were otherwise bare except for the brightly painted pickup trucks driven by the ex-rebels who run the government.

The resolution passed by the U.N. Security Council on Thursday allows France to send hundreds more troops for a temporary period. Speaking from the Elysee Palace in Paris, Hollande said the 600 troops already in the country would be doubled "within a few days, even a few hours" to around 1,200.

The U.N. measure also authorizes the deployment of an African Union-led force to Central African Republic for a year to protect civilians and restore public order. The AU force is replacing a regional peacekeeping mission whose presence has been mainly limited to the capital and a few northern cities.

"It's necessary to intervene very quickly to establish order in this country, in order that humanitarian aid arrives and to avoid an actual civil war based on religion," said France's U.N. ambassador, Gerard Araud, speaking on French RTL radio Thursday.

Central African Republic, a desperately poor country in the heart of Africa where the life expectancy is a mere 48 years, has been roiled by rebellions and coups for decades. The president ousted in March had himself ascended to power by force a decade earlier.

Djotodia, the country's current ruler, who is Muslim, managed to unify several rebel groups in the country's mostly Muslim north, where resentment of the federal government and a sense of disenfranchisement has been rife for years. Once those rebels — known as Seleka, the local word for coalition — were unleashed upon the capital, though, he wielded very little control over the mélange of bush fighters, child soldiers and foreign mercenaries he had recruited along the way.

Before long, human rights groups were documenting cases of Seleka rebels going door to door with machetes, bludgeoning their victims and burning down scores of homes. Supporters of the ousted president began rising up in opposition to the lawless and ruthless rebels, forming self-defense militias. Thursday's attack demonstrates that these fighters are more than vengeance-seeking civilians with artisanal hunting rifles.

"This is not a war between an army and a rebel group. It's really become a conflict between communities where people are being targeted based on their religion," said Peter Bouckaert of Human Rights Watch, who has documented scores of attacks in Central African Republic.

"And it is actually the Muslim community which is the most vulnerable because of the vast abuses committed by the Seleka and the fact that they are a relatively small minority amongst a much larger Christian population who are just furious because of the abuses they have suffered" under the Seleka.

Camal Fodor managed to get his friend to a health clinic by 7 a.m., but seven hours later he still lay listless on a bench.

"The anti-balaka attacked our neighborhood and he was shot in the stomach," Fodor said of his friend, Solomon Haroun, whose blood-soaked T-shirt was dripping blood through the cracks of a wooden bench, where it pooled on the floor below, next to another man awaiting treatment for gunshot wounds.

In another sign of the growing melee, Prime Minister Nicholas Tiangaye confirmed his house had been looted, describing the attackers as a group of Seleka who arrived in three four-wheel-drive pickup trucks.

Speaking in Paris to the Associated Press, Tiangaye said he had been informed that the provisional toll was "more than 100 dead and several hundred wounded."

Babacar Gaye, the U.N. special representative for the Central African Republic, appealed for calm in a joint statement from the U.N., European Union, African Union and France.

In the hills overlooking Bangui, dotted with banana trees, the ex-Seleka fighters spent Thursday afternoon showing off the weapons they'd seized from the enemy earlier in the day. The fighters traded combat boots for flip flops and munched on French baguettes in the shade.

Gen. Bachar Fadoul says the Christian militia may attempt another attack but his troops will be waiting.

"We will hunt them down and chase them from the city," he said.

Kidnappers Contact 29-Year Old Ayobami Jaiyeola’s Family!

A man suspected to be Ayobami’s kidnapper has contacted her family.

He called her elder sister, whom Ayobami lived with yesterday to inform her that he knows her whereabout, but refused to speak further when he was questioned. Since then, nothing has been heard from him again. 

Her family members are now suspecting she was kidnapped. 

Ayobami returned to Nigeria January 2013, for her youth service after graduating from University of Marlyland, United State. 

May the Lord keep her safe and change the minds of those holding her in captivity, Amen.

Kim Kardashian criticized for donating just 10 percent of ‘charity auction’ to typhoon victims!

Kim Kardashian came under fire for her latest eBay Giving Works auction in which a “percentage of the proceeds” will aid victims of the Philippines typhoon disaster. But it’s the key word “percentage” that has many crying foul, as just 10 percent, while fully disclosed, will go to the International Medical Corps relief efforts.

“The proceeds will go directly to the communities they’re serving in the Philippines and will help typhoon survivors get access to medical care and ultimately save lives,” Kardashian wrote on her auction page. “My prayers and thoughts are with those affected by the typhoon.”

However, crisis communications expert Glenn Selig is just one of many disturbed by the slim donation percentage and told FOX411 that typically most bidders assume the majority goes to the stated cause.

“When you say something is for the charity, the assumption is much more than 10 percent goes to charity. And when the charity angle is leveraged to boost bidding or to drum up news coverage, when only 10 percent goes to charity people likely will be taken,” he said. “It is wrong to mislead the public.”

Sources tell Fox411 that Kardashian does make a profit from the auction – which ended on Sunday – but contrary to multiple reports, it isn’t 90 percent. EBay takes roughly 9 percent for eBay fees on fashion items, as well as 2.9 percent for domestic and 3.9 percent for international payments received. The auction promoters also take an undisclosed cut from the final sales. 

But across the Twitterverse, many are up in arms that the prominent personality and fiancée of Kanye West, who is worth an estimated $40 million, isn’t shelling out a little more.

“Kim Kardashian being selfish selling things for ‘charity’ on eBay and only giving away 10%. Come on 50% at least,” wrote one. Another tweeted: “How dare you use these people’s misery to make money? Don’t you and boyfriend have enough money without using these poor wretched souls in their hour of desperation. Shame on you!”

Yet the E! reality star has been opening up her personal wardrobe to fans via the eBay Giving Works auction umbrella for several years, even long before she was a hugely known name in the entertainment industry. It has always been the case with her auctions that a disclosed 10 percent -- the minimal amount required by the eBay charitable arm -- would be donated to her designated philanthropic cause. And, according to her rep, Kardashian donates 10 percent of absolutely everything she earns – from public appearances to endorsements to her television salary – to charity, which would make her one of the most generous of the Hollywood types.

“Nobody has to give anything, and yet Kim gives 10 percent of everything and now she is being judged for it,” a rep for the star insisted.

Others also asserted that every little bit counts, and that Kardashian should be praised – not condemned – for her contributions in helping others, irrespective if she makes a profit from it.

“People like to bash Kim all the time no matter what she does, and it simply isn’t fair. This is the quintessential example of no good deed going unpunished. Kim Kardashian did the right thing – and it’s simply not fair to bash her for this,” said Ronn Torossian. 

A rep for the International Medical Corps also stood by the star amid the ongoing backlash, stating that they are nothing but grateful for the reality star’s support of their Philippines Typhoon Emergency Response.

“As International Medical Corps’ emergency response teams are reaching the hardest-hit areas, it is critical that we’re able to immediately deliver medical care and vital medicines,” the rep stated. “The generous support of all of our donors allows our first responders to rapidly deliver lifesaving health services to affected families, alleviate suffering and restore hope in the communities that need it most.”

And while eBay didn’t comment directly on the Kardashian case, a rep for the company assured us that eBay Inc. is committed to building a future that enables and inspires charitable giving at a scale never seen before and, to-date, more than $350 million has been raised on eBay Giving Works, with more than 30,000 organizations benefiting from the auctions..

Ogun State Labour Party Chairman walks-out journalists for asking probing questions!

It was alleged that the Ogun State Chairman of the crisis ridden Labour Party, LP, Simeon Olabode, on Thursday at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta, verbally attacked journalists for asking probing questions over the power tussle within the party’s hierarchy.

The incident happened during a stakeholders’ meeting.

Mr. Olabode also ordered the journalists out of the venue.

When asked to shed more light on the power tussle and particularly on an alleged plot by some new members of the party – decampees from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN – to take over control of the party, Mr. Olabode lashed out at the journalists calling them unprintable names.

“I want the press to leave here now. Get out from here, leave here. I want to talk to my people; just leave,” the party chairman declared.

In a related development, three of the party’s members – loyalists of former Governor, Gbenga Daniel – staged a walk-out from the meeting, accusing leaders of the party of insulting their political godfather.