President Buhari Meets With Pastor Adeboye

President Muhammadu Buhari has held a meeting with the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye.

Also present at the meeting was Vice President Yemi Osibajo who is also a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church, according to Channel News.

Pastor Adeboye arrived the President’s office with Vice President Osinbajo at about 12.30pm and was led straight into the President’s office by the Vice President.

Their meeting lasted for about 30 minutes.

High Court to Hear NERC’s Stay Of Proceedings Feb.19 On Electricity Tariff

A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday fixed Feb.19 for the hearing of the stay of proceedings application brought by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

A lawyer and rights activist, Mr Toluwani Adebiyi, had challenged the Feb. 1 hike in electricity tariff.

Justice Mohammed Idris fixed the date after counsel reconciled the order in which pending applications would be heard.

At the resumed hearing, the plaintiff drew the court’s attention to an application seeking to commit the commission’s Chairman and the Chief Executives of the Distribution Companies (Discos) to prison.

He said the contempt application against the parties was for allegedly flouting an order of the court which halts any hike in electricity tariff until the final determination of the suit.

Idris had on May 28, 2015, directed NERC to suspend all actions relating to any increment in electricity tariff pending the determination of the suit.

However, in spite of the subsisting order, NERC in conjunction with the Electricity Distribution Companies commenced the implementation of the new electricity tariff on Feb.1, 2016.

In his argument, Adebiyi said that it was highly compelling for the court to hear the application since by the implementation of the new tariff, the defendants had indicated that the substantive suit meant nothing to them.

He then urged the court to commence proceedings in the contempt charge.

Meanwhile NERC’s lawyer, Chief Anthony Idigbe (SAN), has urged the court to dismiss the plaintiff’s request.

He said that they have an appeal against the order and there is a motion for stay before the court.

In the same vein, Counsel representing the Discos, Dr K.U.K Ekwueme, also aligned himself with Idigbe’s submissions.

In a short ruling, Idris noted that in the midst of pending applications before the court, contempt proceedings, being criminal in nature, should be heard first.

He, however, said that it was in the interest of justice for him to first hear the defendant’s application for a stay of proceedings pending the determination of their appeal against the court’s order.

Idris subsequently adjourned the suit to Feb. 19 for hearing of the application for a stay of proceedings.

Adebiyi, in the substantive suit, is seeking an order restraining NERC from implementing any upward review of electricity tariff without a significant improvement in power supply.

He also wants an order restraining NERC from foisting compulsory service charge on prepaid meters, until the meters are designed to read charges per second of consumption.

Agege Bread Seller, Olajumoke Turns Pay Porte Brand Ambassador

Olajumoke Orisaguna (Centre) TY Bello during the official signing of Olajumoke as brand ambassador for Pay Porte. (Photo: Internet)

Online shopping brand, Pay Porte, has officially, signed TY Bello’s fashion discovery, Olajumoke Orisaguna, the former Agege bread seller as it’s official 2016 campaign face.

Celebrated photographer TY Bello, Jumoke’s husband Sunday, Jumoke’s lawyer Yomi Adeseyoju, publicist Azuka Ogujiuba, Irene Kayoma, Head-Corporate Strategy/Planning and Noble Igwe were present at the signing.

Olajumoke has now joined popular On Air Personalities, Toke Makinwa and former Big Brother Africa first runner-up, Tayo Faniran as a fellow brand ambassador of Payporte.

Basking in the glow of her new fame and new life, Olajumoke, also enjoyed massive media exposure locally and internationally, the latest being the international news network, CNN.

Olajumoke Orisaguna, the new campaign face for online shopping brand Pay Porte.

According to CNN, monitored by NAN, renowned Nigerian photographer TY Bello was behind the change in Jumoke’s fortunes.

TY Bello was photographing U.K. popstar TinieTempah, when Jumoke walked into the shoot. Bello said that Jumoke seemed a little confused, when some people were asking her to walk past really quickly, others were asking her to stay, and she was just in limbo, she added.

“I said ‘is it okay to take your photograph?’ And she nodded ok’’ Bello added.

A teary-eyed Olajumoke said she never expected her fortunes to turn around like this.

My friends have told me they saw me on TV and they are really happy. My parents cannot believe their own child can become such a success. They are all so happy,’’ she said.

Economic and Financial Crime Commission Today Arraigns Lawyer Rickey Tarfa For Alleged Obstruction

Federal High Court Lagos

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, today Tuesday February 16, 2016 arraigned Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN) before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere on 2-count charge bordering on obstruction of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

The defendant pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Based on the plea of the defendant, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in custody.
However, Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, who represented the defendant with hordes of Senior Advocates and several other lawyers in the over 90-man list of representative said they have filed an application for bail which he said was served on the prosecution on the 10th of February, 2016.

In his application for bail, the defence counsel told the court that the defendant came to court voluntarily and that he was granted administrative bail by EFCC on self-recognizance. He said the defendant was a very senior member of the bar with no criminal record. He said there was nothing to show that the defendant would jump bail.

However, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo urged the court to dismiss the application as the offence was grave. He, therefore, urged the court to dismiss the application and order for an accelerated hearing.

Justice Opesanwo in her ruling granted bail to the defendant on self recognition but ordered that he must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

The trial judge bemoaned the number of counsel who were in court for the defendant. She noted that there was no need for such magnitude of support as it amounts to harassment and intimidation of the court.

Soon after the ruling, Akintola told the court that he has filed an application to quash the charge. Rotimi responded that he had not been served. He was subsequently served by the defence counsel in open court.

Justice Opesanwo adjourned the matter to March 14, for hearing of the application to quash the charge while the substantive case was fixed for April 20, 2016 for trial.

Mr. Ricky Tarfa, SAN, was accused of willfully obstructing two officers of the EFCC, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed from arresting Gnanhooue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, who were suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes in contravention of Section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004.

Also, he is alleged to have engaged in improper communication with Justice M. Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos between May 11 and June 25, 2015 while the case between the EFCC and two others was pending before the judge.

President Buhari Hosts Ooni Of Ife

Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari, has held a closed door meeting with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

The meeting is coming shortly after President Buhari played host to the Liberian President, Ms Johnson Ellen Sirleaf; the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church Of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, among others, according  to Channel News.

The Ooni of Ife, who visited the President on Tuesday, had earlier stressed the need for further diversification of Nigeria’s economy, with a call on the government to explore the solid minerals in his state, Channel reported.

He expressed confidence that Ile Ife would be the take-off point of the new Nigerian economy in a post oil and gas era.

Oba Ogunwusi also expressed optimism that an exploration of the huge solid minerals in the state, especially gold, would give an unprecedented boost to the nation’s economy and shift it away from volatility of the crude oil market, in the report.

He stressed the need for focus to shift from oil and gas to other solid minerals in Nigerian states.

The monarch said that he was already working with the State and Federal governments to promote solid minerals, tourism and agriculture to keep the youths engaged and promote the local economy 

Taylor Swift disses Kanye West at Grammys

At the 58th annual Grammy awards pop star Taylor Swift,26,became the first female artiste to win the album of the year category twice.

She won the prestigious award for her fifth album ‘1989’.

When making her acceptance speech Taylor Swift took shots at Kanye West for his cliam that he made her famous.

"As the first woman to win Album of the Year at the Grammys twice, I want to say to all the young women out there, there are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame" said Taylor Swift referring to Kanye West’s recent claims.

Taylor Swift added "But if you just focus on the work and you don’t let those people side-track you, someday, when you get where you are going,’ she added, ‘you will look around and you will know that it was you and the people who love you who put you there. And that will be the greatest feeling in the world. Thank you for this moment."

On ‘Famous‘ featuring Rihanna, Kanye West raps, "I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex/Why? I made that bitch famous (God damn)/ I made that bitch famous." This line about Taylor Swift was first heard on Thursday, February 11, 2016 during Kanye West’s preview of his new album ‘The Life Of Pablo‘.

The line is based off Kanye West’s infamous moment in 2009 when he crashed Taylor Swift’s VMA acceptance speech. This incident started the love-hate relationship between the two music stars.

The Taylor Swift line sparked controversy after ‘Famous’ was previewed which made Kanye West on his Twitter account.

According to Kanye West the line was Taylor Swift’s idea and the word ‘bitch’ is an endearing word in Hip Hop.

Taylor Swift also won the Best Pop Vocal Album for ‘1989’. The 26-year-old singer performed at the Grammys but wasn’t satisfied with her performance.

Taylor Swift performed a new track ‘Out Of The Woods‘. When she went back to her seat she whispered to a friend that she missed a note.

Selena Gomez who was sitting beside her consoled her.

2016 Grammy Awards:See the full list of winners here

This year’s Grammys Awards, one of the most acclaimed entertainment awards in the music industry was held yesterday, February 15, 2016. And for the fifth year in a row, the event was hosted by American rapper and actor, LL Cool J with featured performances from a staggering list of superstars such as Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lionel Richie and a host of others.

Biggest winners for this year include Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar, The Weekend, Ed Sheeran, and Mark Ronson. See below for the full list of nominees and winners:

Album of the Year

Winner: Taylor Swift, 1989

Alabama Shakes, Sound and Color

Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp a Butterfly

Chris Stapleton, Traveler

The Weeknd, Beauty Behind the Madness

Song of the Year

Winner: Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”

Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”

Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”

Little Big Town, “Girl Crush”

Wiz Kahifa feat. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”

Record of the Year

Winner: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”

D’Angelo and the Vanguard, “Really Love”

Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”

Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”

The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel my Face”

Best New Artist

Winner: Meghan Trainor

Courtney Barnett

James Bay

Sam Hunt

Tori Kelly

Best Pop Solo Performance

Winner: Ed Sheeran, “Thinking Out Loud”

Kelly Clarkson, “Heartbeat Song”

Ellie Goulding, “Love Me Like You Do”

Taylor Swift, “Blank Space”

The Weeknd, “Can’t Feel My Face”

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

Winner: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, “Uptown Funk”

Florence + The Machine, “Ship To Wreck”

Maroon 5, “Sugar”

Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, “Bad Blood”

Wiz Khalifa feat. Charlie Puth, “See You Again”

Best Pop Vocal Album

Winner: Taylor Swift, 1989

Kelly Clarkson, Piece By Piece

Florence + The Machine, How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful

Mark Ronson, Uptown Special

James Taylor, Before This World

Best Rap Performance

Winner: Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”

J. Cole, “Apparently”

Drake, “Back To Back”

Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”

Nicki Minaj feat. Drake & Lil Wayne, “Truffle Butter”

Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney, “All Day”

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration

Winner: Kendrick Lamar feat. Bilal, Anna Wise & Thundercat, “These Walls”

Big Sean feat. Kanye West & John Legend, “One Man Can Change The World”

Common & John Legend, “Glory”

Jidenna feat. Roman GianArthur, “Classic Man”

Nicki Minaj feat. Drake, Lil Wayne & Chris Brown, “Only”

Best Rap Song

Winner: Kendrick Lamar, “Alright”

Kanye West feat. Theophilus London, Allan Kingdom & Paul McCartney, “All Day”

Drake, “Energy”

Common & John Legend, “Glory”

Fetty Wap, “Trap Queen”

Best Rap Album

Winner: Kendrick Lamar, To Pimp A Butterfly

J. Cole, 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Dr. Dre, Compton

Drake, If Youre Reading This Its Too Late

Nicki Minaj, The Pinkprint

Best Dance Recording

Winner: Skrillex and Diplo with Justin Bieber, “Where Are Ü Now”

Above & Beyond feat. Zoë Johnston, “We’re All We Need”

The Chemical Brothers, “Go”

Flying Lotus feat. Kendrick Lamar, “Never Catch Me”

Galantis, “Runaway (U & I)”

Best Dance/ Electronic Album

Winner: Skrillex And Diplo, Skrillex And Diplo Present Jack Ü

Caribou, Our Love

The Chemical Brothers, Born In The Echoes

Disclosure, Caracal

Jamie XX, In Colour

Best Rock Performance

Winner: Alabama Shakes, “Don’t Wanna Fight”

Florence + The Machine, “What Kind Of Man”

Foo Fighters, “Something From Nothing”

Elle King, “Ex’s & Oh’s”

Wolf Alice, “Moaning Lisa Smile”

Best Rock Song

Winner: Alabama Shakes, “Don’t Wanna Fight”

Elle King, “Ex’s & Oh’s”

James Bay, “Hold Back The River”

Highly Suspect, “Lydia”

Florence + The Machine, “What Kind Of Man”

Best Rock Album

Winner: Muse, Drones

James Bay, Chaos And The Calm

Death Cab For Cutie, Kintsugi

Highly Suspect, Mister Asylum

Slipknot, .5: The Gray Chapter

Best Alternative Music Album

Winner: Alabama Shakes, Sound & Color

Björk, Vulnicura

My Morning Jacket, The Waterfall

Tame Impala, Currents

Wilco, Star Wars

Best R&B Performance

Winner:  The Weeknd, “Earned It (Fifty Shades Of Grey)”

Tamar Braxton, “If I Don’t Have You”

Andra Day, “Rise Up”

Hiatus Kaiyote, “Breathing Underwater”

Jeremih feat. J. Cole, “Planes”

 Best Urban Contemporary Album

Winner: The Weeknd, Beauty Behind The Madness

The Internet, Ego Death

Kehlani, You Should Be Here

Lianne La Havas, Blood

Miguel, Wildheart

Adam Johnson Trial: Teenager ‘tried to protect footballer Adam Johnson after sexual encounter’

Adam Johnson former Sunderland Winger

A teenager now 16 years, was down as she explained to a jury how she tried to protect footballer Adam Johnson (England player) from losing everything after sexual encounter in his car.

She sobbed bitterly as she was accused of lying about the incident in the 28-year-old former Sunderland winger’s Range Rover on January 30, 2015.

Last week, Johnson admitted grooming the teenager and has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with her when she was 15.

But he denies two more serious counts of sexual activity with her.

Johnson’s barrister, Orlando Pownall QC questions makes her to break down twice after the video link that reveal their secret meeting was revealed.

She became upset as she explained how she began to panic when rumours began to circulate about what she and Johnson had done.

“I was concerned because I didn’t want him to lose his career or anything. I wasn’t bothered about myself in it all.” The girl explained.

The girl said she was trying to contain the situation so no-one would find out what happened and Johnson “wouldn’t lose everything’ but she agreed with Mr Pownall that “everything spiralled out of control”.

The teenager said: “I was worried about everyone finding out about it. I was trying to cover the whole thing up.”

The girl sobbed as she explained what she had told her friends about what happened and Judge Jonathan Rose adjourned the case for the day.

Earlier, the judge took another break when the girl became extremely upset after Mr Pownall asked her why she had asked friends to lie for her.

Before she became upset, the girl told the jury: “I wanted to keep him (Johnson) out of trouble. I didn’t want to get him in more trouble than he was.”

And the teenager added: “I was scared that people wouldn’t believe me.”

She said: “I didn’t want to believe that it had happened.”

Just before the girl broke down, she told the barrister: “I didn’t realise what had gone on was wrong.”

Mr Pownall opened his cross-examination of the girl by saying: “It is accepted that you have been seriously wronged by Adam Johnson.”

Earlier, the jury was played two video recordings of police interviewing the girl about what happened to her and how it began.

In the first, the girl explained how she first met up with Johnson – who she said she idolised – on January 17 last year and he signed two Sunderland shirts for her.

She described how Johnson exchanged WhatsApp messages with her after their first meeting, saying “you owe me for this” and “am I going to get a thank you kiss?”.

The teenager said that at the second meeting Johnson said to her: “I’ve come for my thank you kiss.”

She said they started kissing and then: “He undid the button on my trousers. It took him a while to do that. He got his hand down my trousers. He started to put his hands in my knickers.”

The girl then described to the officer further sexual activity between the pair.

The teenager told the officer that Johnson knew how old she was and added: “He asked me when I was 16.”

The jury of eight women and four men was played a second police interview during which the teenager described more serious alleged sexual contact between her and Johnson during the same meeting in his car.

The woman police officer asked her how she felt. She said: “Not very good. I was disappointed in myself.”

When the officer asked her why she did not mention the more serious sexual contact in the first interview, she said that there was evidence on text messages to back up everything else she said but not this sex act.

She also said that rumours had begun to circulate about the other sexual activity but not about this. She said she was worried that talking about it “would only make it worse”.

The girl will continue giving evidence on Tuesday.
Last week, the jury heard how Johnson, of Castle Eden, Co Durham, sat in the dock watching the girl give her account on two large video screens in the court.

He was wearing a dark blue suit, with a white shirt and a dark tie.

It’s Government Duty To Ensure Success of Made In Nigeria Product By Indigenous Firms

Innoson Car Factory In Nigeria

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has said all arms of government have a duty to ensure the success of indigenous manufacturers as a way of rebuilding the economy and putting Nigerian youth to work.

Saraki while receiving a delegation from the Innoson Motor Manufacturing Company, Nnewi, led by Chief Innocent Chukwuma, the Chairman and founder of the company, in his office today (Monday) said government should use legislative actions and policy initiatives to protect the local industries as a deliberate way of reviving the economy.

Innoson Motors is the only Nigerian company manufacturing automobile of different ranges and it is based in Nnewi, Anambra State.

He said one of the actions government should quickly introduce is to ensure that local industries are patronized by government agencies so that Nigerian manufacturers can enjoy the advantages accruing from the big market that her population offers.

“That is why this eighth Senate is determined to amend the Procurement Law to ensure that government agencies patronize Made in Nigeria products. I am sure the House of Representatives is in support of this. It is our joint responsibility to ensure that you succeed. If you are successful, a lot more small and medium scale enterprises will draw inspiration from you and they will become successful.

“That will help to create jobs which is one of the mandate presented to us by the youths of this country during the last elections. We in the legislature will look at all laws and help to create an enabling environment for local businesses to thrive in Nigeria”, he said.

The Senate President said using laws to protect locally made goods is not peculiar to the country as it has been done in the United States under President Herbert Hoover in 1933 while India and China have also enacted similar laws in the past.

He lamented a situation where a company like Innoson only sold about 3,000 vehicles in 2015 when Nigerians buy about a million vehicle annually, adding that If Nigerians patronise Made in Nigeria cars it will force foreign manufacturers to set up plant here.

In his remarks, Mr Alfred Nwosu, said the Innoson Group started from manufacturing of motor cycles and graduated to tricycle before it is now producing different range of utility and luxury vehicles.

He said the Group has 7,000 Nigerians on its pay roll while there are 300 youths from the Niger Delta area undergoing training that were hitherto held abroad.

Nwosu commended Saraki and the Senate leadership for their prompt response to the request for audience sent by the company, an opportunity that had eluded the company in the past.

“In less than 48 hours of contacting the Senate President, we were told to come over. We are encouraged by your views on Made in Nigeria goods. What we need is the support, encouragement and inspiration from decision makers like you”, he said.

Also yesterday, the Senate President urged the South East Amalgamated Market Traders Association (SEAMATA) to look inwards in view of the present economic challenges facing the country.

He specifically charged members of the executive of the association who visited him in Abuja that it is time for them to find ways of producing locally most of the goods they have been importing into the country.

Earlier, the President-General of SEAMATA, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo had called for urgent measures by the Federal Government to ease their access to foreign exchange that is used to import the goods they sell.

Ezenwankwo said that 70 per cent of traders in the South East would be thrown into the labour market if nothing urgent is done to enable the traders access forex. He lamented a situation where goods imported by the traders since December 2015 are still lying at the ports accumulating demurrage simply because the clearing authorities are yet to receive confirmation from the countries of origin of the consignments.

He called on the Federal Government to fix an exchange rate for the Naira rather than leaving it at the mercy of market forces.

He added: “The $10,000.00 limit of what one can take across our borders is another major constraint to our business.”