Datti joins Patience Jonathan, Buhari others in ‘Crying Hall Of Fame’

 Dramatic scenes are not new in Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly during elections. Public officials in Nigeria often take advantage of the presence of camera to express the other side of themselves, particularly the emotional side.

On Sunday, the vice presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Ahmed Datti had an emotional breakdown on National TV over attacks on his late father.

Mr Datti, during an interview on Channels TV, lamented the incessant attacks on his person and his family since he joined the race. At one point, he could not hold back the emotion and let it all out.

The Kaduna State-born politician is in good company when it comes to going emotional on National TV. Here are politicians that could not keep their emotions in check.

Patience Jonathan and “there is god rant”

Days after the abduction of school girls at the Government Secondary School, Chibok in 2014, Patience Jonathan, the then First Lady summoned officials of the school to the presidential Villa as part of efforts to recover the over 200 girls abducted by the terror group, Boko Haram.

It would be recalled that Boko Haram had become a politicised issue at that time, and many around the President believed that the abduction was part of efforts to further demarket President Goodluck Jonathan by some elements in the North.

The former First Lady, during the interaction found some of the responses of the officials to be unsatisfactory and while in tears, she dropped what later became the viral phrase “PRINCEPA. Na only you waka come?

“And all these bloods that they’re sharing.

“CHEI. CHEI. There is God O! DIERRIS GOD O!!!”

Buhari wept while announcing last bid in 2011

Two days before the 2011 presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari, then as the candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change broke down in tears, stating that the 2011 election would be his last attempt at becoming the president.

In the presence of some chieftains of the CPC, Mr. Buhari was in tears while reading his speech at the International Conference Center in Abuja.

It would be recalled that Bola Tinubu, the man seeking to succeed Mr Buhari, made mention of the crying moment in his famous Emi Lokan rant in Abeokuta. In that famous speech, Mr Tinubu, speaking in Yoruba, said Buhari was crying after losing the 2011 election, but he assured him of victory.

Atiku overwhelmed by ticket donation

In 2018, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was brought to tears after some youths “bought the presidential ticket” of the PDP for him to re-contest again.

Atiku, while commending the youth, got emotional and had to use a handkerchief to stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks.

Fayose— I am in pains

In 2018, Ekiti State was at the centre of a political storm during the off-season gubernatorial election. Fayose, who was rounding off his term, was seeking to install his deputy, Olusola Eleka as his successor.

On the other hand, the ruling party was seeking to pave the way for Kayode Fayemi, who resigned as Minister to complete his tenure.

On the eve of the election, Fayose and his supporters clashed with security forces, and the then-governor claimed that security agents wounded him.

“I am in pain, I am in severe pain. I can’t turn my neck anymore. If anything happens to me, the Inspector General of Police should be held responsible,” he said.

House Maid Leads Armed Gang To Rob Her Employer Of ₦‎2.8m In Lagos

 

A 19-year-old lady, Cynthia Ikade, was arraigned before a Yaba Magistrates’ Court, Lagos State, for conspiring with a gang to rob her former employer, Esther Okanlawon, of N2.8 million, and other valuables, IGBERETV reports.  On Thursday, January 12, 2023, Ikade was arraigned along with her accomplises, Pius Sunday, 28, and Loveth Uloko, 20. Ikade, who worked as a maid for Okanlawon at her house in Mushin area of the state, was said to have suddenly stated that she was no longer interested in the job. Her employer called the agent through whom she was employed, to come take her, but the agent could not be reached on the phone. The teenager then requested that she wanted Sunday, who she claimed was her brother, to pick her from the house. Sunday, while leaving the house with Ikade, then urged the woman to call him anytime she needed another maid to replace Ikade, saying he was also an agent. It was gathered that Okanlawon called him after three months to bring in another maid, and he sent Uloko. Sunday and Ikade, alongside one Henry, still at large, allegedly invaded the woman’s house on October 10, 2022, and robbed the family, with the help of Uloko, who allegedly opened the gate and kitchen back door for them. The defendants were arraigned on three counts of conspiracy, armed robbery, and unlawful conversion.  The charges read in part, “That you, Pius Sunday, Ikade Cynthia, Loveth Uloko, and one other at large, on or before October 10, 2022, at on Isiaka Nade Street, Mushin, Lagos, in the Lagos Magisterial District, while in the service of the victim, as an agent to housemaids, did intentionally arm yourselves with a locally-made gun and a knife and robbed Mrs Esther Okanlawon and her two visitors of the sum of 2,150,000, a wedding ring valued at N300,000, 500 pounds, 170 US dollars, 100 Canadian dollars, a handbag valued at 15 pounds and other valuables, all property of Esther Okanlawon and her family, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 297 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015." The plea of the defendants was not taken. The prosecutor, Godwin Oriabure, pleaded that the three defendants be remanded in a custodial centre for 30 days pending legal advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions. The presiding Chief Magistrate, A. O. Salawu, adjourned the case till February 9, 2023, for legal advice.

Mercy Johnson: “I Had My Thyroid Removed, I Was Placed On Medication For Life”

Nollywood actress, Mercy Johnson-Okojie, has opened up about a cancer scare that made her doctors place her on medication for the rest of her life.

She made the revelation while hosting veteran actress Joke Silva on her cooking show, Mercy’s Menu, published on Thursday.

The actress also revealed that she had surgery where her thyroid – a gland in the throat – was removed and she was placed on strict medication for life.

The actress narrated how she and her husband, Odi Okojie, managed the situation at that time.

Mercy said, “I’ve never discussed it where I had a cancer scare and I had my thyroid removed. It was like a journey for us. We had kids and my last was six months at that time.

"We kept saying that we have to understand that, ‘this is the new us. Let’s go get the surgery done’. And when we go there, they said I was going to be on medication for the rest of my life.

“It was a reality that we had to sit down. Them giving me a time that ‘you cannot miss my medication. As you wake up, that’s the first thing’, and telling me all of the side effects.”

Silva had earlier told Okojie about how she was able to manage the dementia diagnosis of her husband, veteran actor Olu Jacobs.

According to Silva, accepting her husband’s new reality helped her to manage the situation better.

 

Abuja Body Of Comedians Hold Dinner Reception

 Abuja Body of Comedians Hosts Dinner Reception To Appraise Performance

... _As Gordons, Kevin Sapp, Others Attend_

The umbrella body of comedians in the FCT, the Abuja Body of Comedians (ABC) on Sunday, 8th January, 2023 hosted a dinner reception for its members where industry players x-rayed the performance of that sub-sector of entertainment in the past year and ways it could be enhanced better for efficiency. 

The reception which took place at TSC Garden Area 3, behind UBA Bank was hosted by the president of the body, Onome da Saint. 

Addressing the Abuja comedians, Onome Da Saint (Onome Ohwodo) praised them for being part of efforts to reposition entertain in Abuja and the country at large. 

He said the body under his leadership will continue to advocate for decency and maturity even while entertaining guests at events, noting that the body is aware of various categories of audience at social functions and will continue to uphold maturity in its activities. 

A popular radio presenter and MC, Ben 200 (Benjamin Ubiri) Station Manager - We FM said the ABC must begin to expand its tentacles by reaching partnership deals with radio stations within the FCT to attract publicity which he said the industry needs to thrive. 

He said the comedy sub-sector of entertainment is gaining new steam in Abuja which must be sustained through adequate publicity, even as he noted that it has generated employment opportunities directly and indirectly to teeming young people. 

Also speaking, the national president of Association of Beauty Pageant and Fashion Exhibition Organisers of Nigeria, ABPFEON, Mr. Olufunsho Ajagbonna popularly known as King Fajag said as a showbiz industry, the entertainers should begin to pay attention to the business aspect of their craft for optimum performance. 

Mr Idowu Olusayero, A representative and CEO of Option A Media, a leading brand in screen lighting and sound urged the entertainers to make more investment in their brands to meet the dynamic needs of fun-seekers in the nation's capital. 

A public relations practitioner and the CEO Amity Global, Mr. Alex Nwankwo, popularly known as AlexReports appealed to event organisers to take every aspect of publicity with the utmost seriousness. 

He said media visibility especially in the new media is very critical as it satisfies the crave of event sponsors. He called on the ABC to shun the temptation of not taking after-event publicity seriously as a way of continuously attracting goodwill especially from sponsors. 

Others that spoke extensively are Amb. Wahala (Lukmon Oni) - VP -Abuja Body of Comedians, Dj Kool (Tade Adeyemi) National President - DJ Association of Nigeria (DJAN), 20 Mouth (Ugochukwu Ohuonu) Mayor of Abuja -Actors Guild of Nigeria (Abuja Chapter) and Gordons (Godwin Komone).

The event attracted ace comedian, Gordons, Kevin Sapp and others within and outside Abuja, including Former ABC President Dr. Ayuba, President of Entertainment Practitioners, Mr Agility Onwurah, Skin therapists, Cynthia Alobi, Make-Up entrepreneur, Blessing Patrick, Fashion designer Ngozi Precious, DJs and others within the entertainment value chain. 

ABC recently held an investiture where notable individuals within and outside entertainment industry were honoured. 

Onome da Saint has been praised for bringing unity of purpose in the Abuja comedy industry, notably seen in series of activities ABC has embarked upon in recent times.

Davido & Chioma Get Tattoos Of Each Others Names On The Same Finger

 Davido and his wife Chioma got new tattoos of each other's names.

The lovebirds were filmed getting the tattoos on their wedding band finger.

Chioma got a tattoo of "David" spelt out on her hand and Davido got one spelt "Chioma".

They also flaunted their wedding rings as they got the new ink.

I’m Not Ashamed’ – Phyna Reveals Why She Had Two Abortions At Age 19, 24 - Celebrities

 According to phyna, irrespective of her two abortions, she is not barren due to fertility drugs.

However, the personal details earned her criticism online with many saying some secrets are better left unsaid despite being a public figure.

In an interview with PUNCH, the reality TV star reiterated that she is not ashamed, stressing that her life is an open book.

Giving reasons for taking the decision, Phyna said at age 19 she could not open up to tell her parents that she was pregnant and the second pregnancy was due to her toxic relationship with her boyfriend.

Phyna added her inability to endure the consistent abuse in the relationship forced her to terminate the pregnancy.

In her words:” 

In my family as a whole, we are very open. People just read meaning to things and say whatever they want, I really do not care. I was just laughing at their responses to me because those that know me know me, I am an open book. I actually responded to that woman when she said “I can’t respond to you, you are an abortionist,” and then I said yes that I have committed abortions. It is fine how people want to see me, I am not ashamed of anything about myself. If I ever make a mistake, I own up to my mistakes. 

As for my reasons for taking abortion pills, if there are 100 women in Nigeria today, 98 have done abortions. So, no one should judge me. I was in a 12-year relationship then and I was so young. The first abortion was when I was 19; I couldn’t go home to tell my parents that I was pregnant at that age. And the two pregnancies were so early like two to three weeks that I could just use tablets. The second was when I was 24, and I had finished serving then. I was ready to keep it but the relationship was getting toxic. He abused me and always beat me up. I said to myself that I couldn’t do this anymore, so I took it out and that was how I ended the relationship.”

Atiku's Campaign In Imo In Trouble

 The Atiku/Okowa Presidential Campaign Management Committee (PCC), Imo State has raised the alarm over the fortunes of the campaign in the state.

State Director of the PCC, Hon. Greg Egu, flanked by some other members, raised the alarm, Thursday, in a press briefing in Owerri.

The PCC said nominees of the former governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, had failed to attend three previous meetings of the committee.

Hon. Egu stated that appeals for the party to unite and work for the success of Atiku/Okowa in the state had failed.

He submitted that the state chairman of the party, Chief Charles Ugwu has also turned his face against the committee.

The director called on the national secretariat of the party to intervene in the matter.

He, however, maintained that the committee was working round the clock to ensure the success of the campaign.