Legalising sex with ‘babies’

Of course, worried Nigerians who were disturbed by the rising cases of rape were overjoyed that, at last, sexually abused Nigerians would get justice and that the Bill would go a long way in curbing rape and sexual offences. So amazed were Nigerians when more than 40 bills were hurriedly passed by the just-concluded 7th assembly. Thank goodness, the Sexual Offences Bill sailed through.

But unfortunately, Nigerians who were hoping to get a respite from the Bill got the biggest shock of their lives when it allowed sex with girls from the age of eleven. The Sexual Offences Bill, 2015, also stipulates life imprisonment for any individual found guilty of rape or sexual intercourse with children under 11 years; 10 years for incest; 10 years for child pornography or a fine of N2 million; and 14 years for sexual abuse, among others.

By a strange twist of fate, the same Senator Anyanwu, who won the hearts of Nigerians, has been slammed for being one of the minds in the just-concluded 7th assembly that passed the Bill that allows sex with girls from 11 years. Since the passage of this Bill, reactions have continued to trail the Bill from all quarters Among the most vociferous critics of the Bill has been Nobel laureate, Whole Soyinka, who has urged President Muhammad Bukhara to withhold his assent to the Sexual Offences Bill passed by the last National Assembly.

Last week, the Noble laureate said: “President Bukhara and here I make my first imposition on his presidency should never place his assent on such a nefarious distraction,” he said in a letter to the organizing committee of the June 12 Movement of Nigeria.

“Its implications doom the victim to afflictions that churn the stomach even to think of the human toll. Perhaps, those legislators think that vaginal fistula is something thought up by arm-chair critics with nothing better to occupy their minds. No matter, let those who profess a genuine concern declare their stand on this.

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Striking photo of newborn lying next to mother's caesarean wound goes viral

The new mother, who does not wish to be identified, was terrified of having a C-section but wanted the picture to be taken as the operation had saved her and her baby.

The image touched a nerve around the world after Helen shared it online, and it has been seen 11.5 million times and liked by nearly 200,000 people.

More than 11 million people have viewed this picture on social media, but it has certainly divided opinion.

This striking photograph of a mother and baby taken just three days after being born by caesarean section has taken social media by storm.

Helen Aller, 29, took the black and white image of the woman and her newborn lying next to her wound.

Photographer Helen, from Guernsey, often takes photos of newborns and their mums, but said she wasn't prepared for the reaction her latest shot received.

She said: "I photographed this mama's pregnancy a while back and she was telling me how terrified she was of having a c-section.

"Last week she went into labour but had to have an emergency c-section after complications.

"She asked me to come over and shoot this particular image as her worst nightmare proved to be what saved her and her child's lives.

"My images usually get seen seen by 100 people at most so I never thought it would reach anywhere near what it has done.

"So far it has been seen by over 7.5 million people. I didn't expect this image to reach so far."

In the photo, the newborn - only three days old - is lying directly underneath his mother's scar from her emergency caesarean.

Source: UK Mirror

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Wrote my first song when i was 10 –BMG

Her parents named her Olure­mi Bunmi, but the music in­dustry knows her as Boomer­ang. Here is the story of the ‘Sweet, Sexy, Sassy’ crooner.

Every artiste will be excited about her album. Oluremi Bunmi a.k.a. Boomerang’s first album, ‘Sweet. Sexy. Sassy’, makes her feel the same way. “It has been so exciting and I am so happy because it has been a long time in coming. It is out there and I know that the next thing is to con­tinue going from here,” she told our correspondent at the launch. It was not just that a former La­gos State commissioner as well as a former police boss were at the launch. Or even that it was by all standards, a very successful launch. It was all that and the fact that this long-standing desire of hers was being ful­filled.

“I have songs in the album that are up to three years old but we worked on the album project for a whole year in the studio and I thank God it is done,” she said.

Boomerang has been a part of the Walkerman Movement led by the come­dian Koffi Idowu Nuel for some time, in fact, she said, she has been doing music professionally since 2005.

“I have been in the industry for quite a while now I have been doing this profes­sionally since 2005. People have been in the industry for less time than that and have gotten their break. I pray from here on, my break will come,” she explained.

Of course, she is not in the music for the sake of it and her songs, which she said are ethnic-centric, are pack full with messages.

“When I do songs, I try to put a mes­sage out there. So, if you listen to all the songs in the album you will see that there is something behind it,” she stated.

But she has not left the Walkerman Movement, with which she has done two albums, for a solo career in music.

“But this is my own album. We are a family that decided to come together and do an album, we did that album but we are all individual artistes who can also do solo albums,” she explained.

The artiste, who also does other things on the side including jewellery and T-shirts, said there is ethnic culture in her music, there is pop, a fusion of reggae, soul and rap, “everything is just togeth­er”.

Boomerang said she would pick many of the songs as her favourite in the album that also has an intro and whose videos have been enjoying airplay.

Boomerang said some of the songs to watch out for in the album include: ‘Cred­it’, ‘FlirtyFlirty’, ‘Take Me’, ‘Olowo Ori mi’ and ‘Yepa!’

“Music has always been a part of my life, when I wrote my first song I was barely 10. So when the time came for me to go fully into music I got the support of everyone at home including my parents,” she said.

The Ondo State native had her early childhood in the United States of Amer­ica, U.S.A. and is known by other appel­lations like: Bmg, Akanchawa Duchess, Rap Mayoress and Queen of tha clan, is the only female member of the musical ensemble, Workerman Movement. She has been at it for all of 10 years and has already released two albums with her la­bel mates as well as collaborations with other entertainers.

The sonorous vocalist sings in Eng­lish, Yoruba, raps and does a bit of Ja­maican patoi.

The album features family, soul-lifting and inspiring tunes, groovy ballads fe­male emancipative themes and content driven ideas and features artists like: W4, Sossick, Yemi Alade, Oritsefemi, Kiss, Butafly, Godwon, Q.A, Lowkeyz, Olujazz, Likkle Tee, Omalicha of Rhythm FM, and Westsyde. Among the producers of the songs are: Sossick, Lowkeyz, Ex.O, Joelex, Heartbeat, EL. Magnifique and Lord A.

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Expanding Nigeria’s fashion industry

Leading Africa’s contemporary music scene is a new generation of Nigerian artists redefining the continent’s creative landscape and craft­ing songs with international appeal. Ni­geria’s film industry, colloquially known as Nollywood, is the second largest film industry after India, in terms of films produced annually.

Equally, Nigeria’s burgeoning fashion sector is enjoying an unprecedented level of exposure that translates into a unique opportunity for designers. Nigerian de­signers are becoming regular features on some of the world’s runways and gaining footholds with celebrities including Mi­chelle Obama and Beyoncé to name a few. Today the question “Who are you wear­ing?” might just bring up names such as Duro Olowu, Maki Oh, or Jewel by Lisa.

Driven by fashion weeks and an explo­sion of print and online media, a grow­ing number of platforms are emerging in Nigeria for designers to promote their brands to a mass market. New trends in fashion retail are developing, with in­creasing numbers of local multi-brand boutiques and online shops looking to carry Nigerian designers. Additionally, the country’s fashion weeks are attract­ing the attention of international re­tailers. Selfridges, MyTheresa.com and Browns UK are among the international buyers that have attended Lagos Fashion and Design Week.

The growth of online retailing is also on the rise and offering new sales av­enues for fashion and other consumer goods. With 56 million internet subscrib­ers and 120 million active cell phone lines in September 2013, e-commerce has wit­nessed an impressive growth in Nigeria over the past few years, and will continue to grow as infrastructure and confidence in online retail both grow. Local e-tailers Jumia and Konga are aggressively roll­ing out, and British online fashion store ASOS now delivers to Nigeria.

But beyond the glitz and glamour, de­signers within Nigeria struggle to find a sustainable market locally and to keep up with the international fashion industry. The Nigerian fashion industry remains largely fragmented, suffering from a lack of internal and external patronage and a myriad of structural issues.

A lack of formal fashion training fa­cilities creates weaknesses in all aspects of the industry, from pattern cutting and styling, to marketing and PR. No nation­wide official body exists to encourage funding for designers, while poor infra­structure slows down production and raises costs. Nigeria’s textiles market, once the third largest in Africa, is virtu­ally defunct and dependent on cheap im­ports from China.

Rarely viewed as an integrated sector of the economy, the potential of creativ­ity as an economic force has been slow to find recognition in Nigeria. As a con­sequence, while rich in talent, Nigeria lacks the infrastructure and capacity to commercialise its creative talent and reap its vast rewards. In comparison, the South African fashion industry, in­cluding all its different sectors (manu­facturing, retail, media and recruitment sectors), is the fifth largest employment sector in the country, generating an an­nual income of several billion South Af­rican Rand.

Despite the challenges facing the in­dustry, fashion is arguably the next big thing in Nigeria. With a population of 160 million, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation, and its powerful demo­graphics position it firmly in the centre of Africa’s fashion scene. The growth in particular of the urban population, posi­tive macro-economic growth, an increase in disposable income from an emerging middle class, and a strong appetite for consumer goods offer a potent recipe for a lively fashion scene with real economic traction.

Leading the way in this endeavour is Lagos Fashion and Design Week. The showcase is focused on creating an event that highlights the commercial value of fashion. With partnerships with the British Council for the most outstand­ing ‘young creative entrepreneur’ award, and a Fashion Business Series to help designers learn about matters such as raising funding and running businesses, LFDW is working to position fashion as an industry in its own right.

Fashion provides an important oppor­tunity to diversify the Nigerian economy, and promote employment, particularly among youth. New entrants into the Nigerian fashion market, from interna­tional luxury brand Ermenegildo Zegna to high-street brands Zara and Mango, point to rising confidence in fashion re­tail in Nigeria, and a bid to capitalise on the benefits presented by an emerging middle class with an increasing dispos­able income and a strong appetite for consumer goods. With sound policies, targeted investment and global partner­ships, the fashion industry can have a significant impact on Nigeria’s economy.

Veteran fashion promoter Lexy Mojo-Eyes, founder of Nigeria Fashion Week, believes that, “The fashion industry can become a big business in Africa. It could contribute to the development of indus­trial fabric, infrastructures and even more with the support of governments. Fashion can create jobs.”

As Nigeria enters a new era in nation­hood, there is a sense of vigour and re­newal that makes the country’s prospects very appealing. The successes of its film and music sectors present a strong case for taking its fashion sector seriously and developing a strategy for doing so. If the institutional weaknesses in the industry are corrected then fashion can contribute to economic growth and posi­tion Nigeria as a major player in the in­ternational fashion market, in the way it has the potential to.

    Bukie Aje Lloyd is founder, Design­ers Foundry, based in London.

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Loved Up 2Face And Annie Idibia Stun For Hello Nigeria Magazine.

 

Powerful celebrity couple, 2Face and Annie Idibia, whose marital relationship has being going strong for the past few years now and has been blessed with beautiful children, grace the latest edition of the Hello Nigeria Magazine.

The couple share a very steamy chemistry in photos while they share stories of their love life. 2Face says “He is lucky because he married someone he loves”… how romantic.

See another lovely photo below:

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Ode to a Legend: 21 Inspiring Facts about Maya Angelou

The world is saddened today to learn that African American renowned poet, civil rights activist and author passed away this morning at age 86. Even though she is no longer with us physically, she left with us the blessing that is her work and its impact. In celebration of the life of this Phenomenal Woman, here are 21 inspiring facts you may not know about Angelou.
1. Angelou was born Marguerite Ann Johnson in St. Louis, Mo on April 4, 1928.
 2. Angelou descended from the Mende people of West Africa. maya4
 3. In high school, Angelou studied dance and drama.
4. At the age of 14, she dropped out of school.
5. Angelou was San Francisco’s first African-American, female street car conductor. Maya Angelou
 6. Angelou once lived and worked in Cairo as an editor of an English-language weekly newspaper.
 7. Angelou once lived in Ghana and taught at the University of Ghana’s School of Music and Drama. maya1 8. Angelou spoke several languages, including French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic and the West African language Fanti.
9. Angelou met Malcolm X in Ghana.
10. Angelou returned to America in 1964 to help Malcolm X form his Organization of African American Unity.
11. Angelou served as northern coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on the request of Martin Luther King Jr. maya8
12. She met Nelson Mandela in Cairo in 1962 and remained good friends with him till his death in 2013.
13. At age 7, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. (As described in her most popular book “I know why the caged bird sings). Her uncles killed her rapist.
14. Feeling responsible for the death of her rapist, Angelou was mute for five years.
15. In 2010, President Obama awarded Angelou with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. maya7
16. Angelou won three Grammy Awards for her spoken-word albums.
 17. Although Angelou never went back to school, she received over thirty honorary doctoral degrees.
18. At the time of her death, Angelou had published seven autobiographies, three essay books, and several books of poetry.
19. Angelou was married at least twice (no confirmed number): to Tosh Angelos in 1951 and Paul du Feu in 1973, and in 1961 had a relationship with Vusumzi Make.
 20. Angelou has one son Guy, one grandson, and two great-grandchildren.
21. Angelou loved to watch Law & Order and was an avid country music lover. maya3 RIP Maya…..

 Stay Inspired,

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Are some people wired to have more sex than others?

Unable to figure out why you can’t get to bed with her after several attempts while your closest friend is never short of offers? Your brain is simply not wired for sex.

According to a fascinating research, some people are actually wired to have more sex – or at least be really, really motivated to hook up.

“Some people’s brains are simply more sensitive to sexual cues than others – which means it takes less to get them aroused and ultimately leads them to find sexual partners,” explained Nicole Prause, an assistant research scientist in psychiatry at University of California Los Angeles.

To prove their point, Prause and her team recruited psychology students to get an electroencephalogram (EEG) of their brains and to view 225 standardised pictures of pleasant, neutral or unpleasant things.

The pleasant images included sexually stimulating ones like explicit pictures of people having sex.

The students were also asked about their number of sexual partners in the past year.

Some of the participants showed strong reactions on the EEG to nearly all of the intimacy-themed images, regardless of whether they were explicit.

These were the same people who reported having more partners.

For these people, said Prause, it’s not a chasing of a “high” or a reward but a biological sensitivity to sexual cues that sets their arousal threshold at a much lower level.

We may be wired to want sex, but that does not mean the wiring can’t be re-routed, she said in the study published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience.

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Jim Iyke dropped from lead role in Kenyan movie

Nigerian movie bad boy, Jim Iyke won’t get the chance to play the lead role in a Kenyan movie due to budget cuts by the production team. This was revealed at the on-going Broadcasting, Film and Music Africa conference where Serah Mwhihaki, a panellist, was responding to questions fielded by delegates. Mwihaki is the screen writer for ‘My Life in Crime‘, a movie adapted from a book of the same title. She let slip that Iyke may have been dropped from the production due to ‘budget slashes.’ Iyke was cast as John Kiriamiti, a hard core criminal who is now reformed. The movie was set to begin shooting later this year....

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Nadia Buari Has reportedly Dumped Jim Iyke

Photo: Jim Iyke and Nadia Buari

Fresh reports indicate that Ghanaian actress Nadia Buari has ended her long-time relationship with famous Nigerian actor Jim Iyke.
According to YNaija, the angered Nollywood bad boy blamed US-based musician and publisher of Nigeria FM Emma Agu for being responsible for their break-up.
Story
Iyke told Buari that he was going to Miami on business, however he was spotted in New York with his ex Keturah Hamilton. NY resident and blogger Agu reportedly called Buari to ask her if they had split up.
Unaware of the fact that her alleged fiance is in New York, the Ghanaian beauty afterwards blasted Jim referring to facts sent to her by New York people and after having confirmed that Jim was there with his ex, she separated from him.
Emma Agu responds to Jim's attacks
Annoyed by the actor's accusations, Agu, who was allegedly called by Iyke, spoke harshly about the Nollywood star saying their break-up is his fault. See Agu's original message in part:
"This overrated son of a b***h with his amateurish acting skills thinks his name can bring any good to a writer or a blogger. The man with a tainted name, a rogue who has burnt every bridge he stepped on is trying to hold me responsible for what ever misfortune that has fallen him in the last 72 hours.
"So this montebank sneaked into New York around 5am 3 days ago and did everything to keep it a top secret until the bubble burst right in front of him. When I got the hint that James was in Keturah’s house, I thought Keturah was lying . The girl said James came claiming that his relationship with Nadia Buari was over. She also said James (Jim) came to pick her up from Nigeria. I told her this guy might be lying.
"When I got in touch with Nadia's manager, he maintained that Nadia was aware Jim went to Miami and insisted he (Jim) was no way near Keturah's house."
According to Agu, he had the insulting talk by Iyke recorded on tape and will "play it to my world audience by 8AM New York time, which should be 1PM Nigerian Time. I need everyone out there to listen and find out why Jim Iyke should be taken off the streets. The guy can never change. That deliverance by TB Joshua never worked. It was a fluke."
He also called Iyke a "psycho", "disappointment", "fraudster" and "cheat", saying he must be arrested over threatening Agu's life.
This story comes as a big disappointment after the recently publicized engagement of Jim and Nadya.

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Fred Amata Marks 51st Birthday With Arsenals FA Cup Victory

Nollywood actor Fred Amata is a year older on saturday.
The movie producer who turned 51 today has been celebrating his milestone with Football club, Arsenal’s victory
“Thanks Arsene. Thanks Gunners my best birthday gift in 9 years …. The FA CUP,” – The Nollywood actor gushed out
He also thanked God for adding another year to his successful years on earth.
Fred Amata said:
“Another year goes by. Glory Allelulya. Another reason to raise the roof with thanks giving and praise. A day to count my blessings even if I couldn’t name them one by one… A day in the season to say and accept wishes that simply say HAPPY BIRTHDAY.”

 Check out Fred Amata in his Arsenal Jersey below:


 

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