Woman Slumps, Dies while giving Testimony in Church!

OMG!

A woman, identified as 25 year old Ifeoma Anozie reportedly slumped and died on New Year Eve while testifying of the goodness of God in her life at Saint John’s Anglican Church, Ndegwu, Imo State - Nigeria.
The late Ifeoma had returned to her country home to give testimony about her many achievements in the passing year and to felicitate with her kith and kin. However, she had barely said a word of her testimony when she slumped and died in front of the officiating cleric.

Her remains have long been deposited in an unknown morgue while the cause of her death remain unknown.

Nigerians Can Now Sue Power Sector Investors – Lawyer!

A legal Practitioner, Emmanuel Umoren, recently warned the new private investors and owners of Nigeria’s power sector of breaching their contract with the people, insisting that consumers now have the power to sue them to court.

“Every transaction is a contract and if there’s any breach whatsoever they can be sued,” he said.

Mr Umoren who was a guest on Sunrise Daily, commended the government’s decision to privatise the power sector, making it a business which is liable to be sued if consumers discover a breach in the contract.

“It is business now. It’s no more government money. Let these DISCOs know that (now) we can take them to court. That’s a very important part. We can now take them to court because they are business men,” he said.

He highlighted some circumstances in which consumers can sue the power companies, including power surge (which leads to damages). On cases of in availability of electricity, Umoren said “it is going to be very difficult to sue them for not providing you light,” but added that the position may change as time goes on and with the intellectual improvement in the judiciary system.

On complains of power shortage in some areas, Umoren said “my major problem is that we do not think these things through because you are creating monopolies in areas.” He explained that the issue of metering lies with the distribution companies (DISCOs) and added that efforts are being made by investors to check cases of power theft by citizens as such usages are unaccounted for.

He however complained about the unavailability of options for end users leading to monopoly which does not benefit Nigerians. He said there should be options in case consumers are not satisfied with the services of a certain distribution company and added that consumers should be able to switch to any DISCO of choice as such is obtainable in other climes.

On the increase in service charge(s) raised twice within the last year, Umoren questioned the activities of the new investors. “How did we arrive at the first price, if you did not do a thorough analysis of doing the business?” he asked.

On nationwide complains regarding fixed service charge of N750 which may be increased as well as payment of meter maintenance without getting the required maintenance services, Umoren warned the private investors that they are liable to court charges by citizens.

He also faulted the dominance of political cases at the Supreme Court which does not allow for the prominence of other issues, including business, which affect the citizens.

“The decisions that come from the Supreme Court and Appeal Court(s) are mostly political issues because they (politicians) have the money,” Umoren said.

Prince William takes selfie with nervous schoolgirl!

In another era, it would have been seen as undignified. But in the newly populist royal family, everyone seems to be getting in on the act.

After Prince Charles and the Queen set the trend by agreeing to pose for mobile phone photos with members of the public, Prince William has joined in.

And this time it was the royal who actually took the picture.

William, 31, photographed himself with Madison Lambe, 12, on her phone – because she was too nervous to press the button.

The Duke of Cambridge took the snap after she visited the Sandringham Estate on Christmas Day to watch the Royal family walk from their house to church. 

Madison is now the most envied pupil at her school after posting the image of herself standing with the future king on Facebook. 

She said: 'I couldn't believe it when William came over to me and I asked for a picture. He just said to me 'you can't beat a good selfie on Christmas Day' and took the picture. 

'It was really good, I didn't expect it.

'He was really nice and I was so excited. I've put the picture on Facebook. My friends think it is really good and they have been commenting on it.'

 

It was reported that Madison Lambe was too stunned to press the buttons herself so Prince William took the snap.

Jonathan signed single tenure agreement –Nyako!

Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako on Tuesday said that despite several denials, President Goodluck Jonathan signed a document agreeing to serve for a single term.

Nyako said this in an interview with journalists in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

He explained that genuine leaders were men of honour who would be sincere to their colleagues and the society in general, no matter the circumstance.

The governor said, “In the first place, when that agreement was brought for me to sign, I told them that this President (Jonathan), in the agreement signed in the year 2003, he was number 73.

“Did we not agree under (ex-President Olusegun) Obasanjo that the term 2007 and 2011 belong to the North?

“He was number 73 as deputy governor of Bayelsa State, so when they came, they said I should sign, they said he had agreed that he would not contest in the year 2015.

“In the first place, I said I did not believe him because he didn’t give his pledge for the agreement signed in the year 2003. They said ah, ah, Baba Maimangoro. I said ok, I will sign. So I signed.”

When asked who brought the agreement for him to sign, he said his northern colleagues, including the Niger State governor, Babangida Aliyu; and his Katsina State counterpart, Ibrahim Shema, among others.

The Adamawa State governor noted that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo led Jonathan to ask him (Nyako) to support Jonathan, who he said had agreed to serve for only one term.

“Obj (Obasanjo) will tell you, he came here and pleaded with me to support Jonathan in 2011. He came here and virtually took an oath to serve only one term,” Nyako said.

Asked if Obasanjo came in company with Jonathan, Nyako replied “Absolutely! That he was going to serve for only one term.”

He said that when Jonathan went to Obasanjo to seek for his support for 2015, the former President reminded him of the commitment he made.

Nyako further said, “The Niger State governor has the agreement. We want to deal with people with honour, not people who want to drag us into civil war because of impunity, because of lawlessness, because of not fulfilling their pledges, that will only take us to civil war.

“Leaders must be honest with their colleagues and the greater society. I have my craw craw from the first civil war and if there is need to develop another craw craw in another civil war I will stand by.”

Aliyu’s spokesman, Danladi Ndayabo, could not be reached for comments as at the time of filing this report.

A response to the text message sent to him was still being awaited as at the time of filing this report.

The Presidency has denied in the past that the President signed any agreement not to seek reelection.

Nyako also said the declaration of a state of emergency in Adamawa State was purely political because the state had the security situation under control.

He explained that the state was not even among the first seven states, out of a list of 12, which had serious security challenges but that the President skipped several states to pick on his state for inexplicable political reasons.

APC chief asks Obasanjo to quit politics!

A leader of the All Progressives Party in Lagos State, Chief Ayo Akande, said on Tuesday that it was time for former President Olusegun Obasanjo to quit partisan politics and become an elder statesman.

Akande said in a statement that Obasanjo needed to take the step immediately, in view of the courage he mustered in his December 2, 2013 letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Obasanjo had in the letter, which was widely published in the media, accused Jonathan of condoning corruption in his government.

Akande said Obasanjo’s open criticism of Jonathan “speaks volume and goes a long way to give hope to the common man”.

“In the light of this, it is better for Chief Obasanjo to quit partisan politics and become an elder statesman,” Akande said.

The party chief, who described Obasanjo as a patriotic leader, said the bold step taken by the former President would help to bail Nigerians out of political and economic oppression.

I’ll fight corruption more in 2014 – Jonathan!

President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday said irrespective of the challenges Nigerians might have faced, the country remained a truly blessed one, whose diversity remained its source of strength.

Jonathan said this in his New Year message to the nation made available by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

He added that the Federal Government would fight corruption more  in 2014.

He said, “Our administration believes that the cost of governance in the country is still too high and must be further reduced. We will also take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages.

“We have worked hard to curb fraud in the administration of the pension system and the implementation of the petroleum subsidy scheme. We have introduced a Pensions Transition Arrangement Department under a new Director-General. This department will now ensure that those of our pensioners still under the old scheme receive their pensions and gratuities, and are not subjected to fraud.

“Prosecution of all those involved in robbing our retired people will continue. The Petroleum Subsidy Scheme is also now being operated under new strict guidelines to tackle previous leakages in the scheme and prevent fraud.

“Foreign travel by government personnel will be further curtailed. This directive shall apply to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the Federal Government. Our strategy to curb leakages will increasingly rely on introducing the right technologies such as biometrics and digitising government payments.”

He added, “Whatever challenges we may have faced, whatever storms we may have confronted and survived, Nigeria remains a truly blessed country, a country of gifted men and women who continue to distinguish themselves in all spheres of life, a country whose diversity remains a source of strength,” he said.

The President observed that 2014 would be a momentous one for the country for several reasons, including the fact that the nation would celebrate its 100 years of existence in the New Year.

He recalled that the British colonial authorities amalgamated the separate Protectorates of Southern Nigeria and Northern Nigeria on January 1, 1914 to give birth to Nigeria.

“Year 2014, to Nigerians, is not just the beginning of a new year, but the end of a century of national existence and the beginning of another,” he said.

This, he said, was a moment for sober reflection and for pride in all that was great about Nigeria.

While reiterating his position that the nation’s amalgamation was not a mistake, the President said as they celebrate the 100 years of its nationhood, Nigerians must resolve to continue to work together as one united people.

He assured Nigerians that his administration remained committed to the development of the country and the consolidation of peace, unity and democratic governance.

He added that despite several domestic and global challenges in 2013, Nigeria witnessed many positive developments which his administration would strive to build upon in 2014.

The President admitted that the cost of governance in the country was still too high and must be further reduced.

He also promised to take additional steps to stem the tide of corruption and leakages.

Jonathan added that foreign travel by government personnel would be further curtailed and that the directive would apply to all ministries, departments and agencies of the Federal Government.

The President also reeled out statistics on the strides he said his administration achieved in the agriculture, health, education, water and housing sectors among others and promised to do more in the New Year.

@Fresh prince of Bel Air actor, James Avery dies at 65!

James Avery, the actor who played Uncle Phil on "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," died on Tuesday, his publicist confirmed to pressmen.

According to report, the actor, 65, died from complications of open heart surgery.

Born James La Rue Avery in Virginia, Avery was raised in Atlantic City. After high school, he served in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969 as a member of the U.S. Navy. After returning home, Avery moved to San Diego, where he wrote poetry and TV scripts for PBS, including the Emmy Award-winning production, "Ameda Speaks: Poet James Avery."