P-SQUARE ON MARRIAGE, NEW MOVES AND MORE

The Okoye brother, peter, Jude and paul okoye

INVASION, the new P-Square album, is here and everyone is excited about it. Not only that, there was a massive show to herald its arrival at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.a day to the show, the Okoye bothers talked about their album INVASION and much more, savour 

Why did you call the album, INVASION?

PAUL: It’s due to the experiences we have had in the past five years that we started traveling for shows outside the country. In most of the African countries, that is the word that is usually used to describe our coming. We had planned to release the INVASION videos, but the album is coming first and among all the names we had, we felt this was the best for it.

JUDE: Another idea is that P-Square has been in the limelight for the past ten years now and you would find a P- Square product in virtually all Nigerian homes. So, it’s like we have been invading home all this while and because of the kind of work we have put into this new album and the expectations we have for it, we feel that this is the album that would finally invade both the already invaded homes, cars, clubs, minds and the ones yet to be invaded.

There were ten tracks in each of the previous three albums, why 14 now?

PAUL: Left to me, I would have stuck to ten, but when Jude and Peter bought the idea of more than ten, I had no choice. They even wanted more songs on it, but we didn’t have any time for more. We also considered the expectations of our fans who are expecting more than ten songs from us.

What are the ideas behind some of the songs on the album?

PAUL: On track one, we were trying to please the parents who are always trying to get their mature children married. When I look at my mom, I picture all mothers and the pressure they put on their sons to get married. So, the song is about love and marriage. On “Me and My Brother,” we are trying to tell people that God blesses people in different ways; you mustn’t be perfect or the best at what you do before God can bless you. Another song is “Chop My Money.” It is talking about beauty and admiration. It’s like a guy seeing a fine girl and saying that even if he doesn’t date the girl, she deserves to “Chop My Money.”

Among the songs, which are your favourites?

PAUL: I and my brothers, Peter and Jude, are very competitive and we argue a lot because everybody wants his own thing to come out best. In this album, everyone loves track one, but I have two other tracks: “Asamkpokoto” and “Chop My Money.” I love “Asamkpokoto” because Peter produced the beat and the first time I heard it, I fell in love with it and I told him that even if we were going to cough on it, we will. I loved the drum beat because it was totally strange.

This time around, Peter produced 50 percent of the songs on the album unlike before when the most of the production work rested on me. I am good with love songs while Peter brought in a new flavour to the album. He brought in “Asamkpokoto, Bunie ya Enu, Forever, Jeje and Do as I Do”. He was doing up to four beats every day for me to listen to. I suspected that he would be more active production-wise on this album because on the Danger album, he produced three tracks. This time around, he produced five tracks and I did five while our band members did the other four.

There are also more collabos on this album than the others, what happened?

PAUL: Firstly, there were more songs on this album than the others. There had also been the allegation that P- Square only does collabos with their people, but we decided to kill that impression once and for all this time. We have already had collabos with 9ice, LKT and Darey. We also listened to the songs on the album and identified people who would fit into collabos on them. Waje is our person right from time. May D is an artiste under Square Records, Tiwa Savage is a fresh talent and it wasn’t even the song we felt she would fit in on that she chose. She was the one that chose to feature on “Do As I Do.” We had always wanted to record with Naeto C and you can see that the song was perfect for him.

In the album that had “Busy Body”, featuring Waje, what led to her not being on the video?

PAUL: Waje was in Enugu when we heard her voice and insisted that whenever we were doing a new album, that we would have her on one of the songs. The problem we had on the video was that Waje never had an International Passport then, we didn’t know and we were to shoot the video in South Africa. She was in Enugu then and when we were preparing to go to South Africa, we called her for her passport so we could apply for her visa as well and that was when we found out she didn’t have an International Passport.

Were there people you would have loved to record with that didn’t make it on the album?

PAUL: Yes, we had intentions to record with the Chocolate City artistes but they weren’t around when we were supposed to do it and we were working on a schedule with our marketers. They had already come around and sampled the beat, but at the time we were supposed to record, they were outside the country. The song had to do with the fact that we were all artistes that came to Lagos from the city of Jos and have been able to make it this far. So, we wanted to encourage other people from anywhere to live their dreams and that if we could make it, they also can.

What was the arrangement with the marketers on this album?

Whenever P-Square wants to release an album, the marketers normally demand about two weeks for them to be able to print up to two million copies of the CD so that pirates won’t take over. We still didn’t meet up with that deadline and that made us leave it at 14 songs.

JUDE: We are also using three marketers on this album. The marketers on their own had already discovered that a P-Square album is too big for one marketer to handle with the current situation in the country, so they teamed up and being the three biggest marketers in the land (Tjoe, Ahbu Ventures and Obaino), they are able to combat the pirates that would have taken over only one marketer.

So far, the reports coming in are fine. From what they have told us, the demand is high and the sales are going on fine.

When was the first song recorded on this album?

PAUL: The first song we recorded on the album was “She’s Hot” which featured Naeto C and that was early last year. At that time, it didn’t have Naeto C on it and we weren’t yet living in our own house with our own studio yet. We did it at Foster Zeeno’s studio and later redid it when we packed in here.

Coming over to the concert, when did the idea of a P-Square concert come in?

JUDE: Apart from 2003 when B&H launched P-Square, there has never been another P-Square-only concert in Nigeria. So, towards the end of last year when Flytime came up with the idea of a P-Square concert, we bought it, but we told them that it would not be nice if a show like that has P-Square singing only old songs. We told them that we were planning to release an album this summer and that it would be nice to have the concert then. They also liked it that way and since then we had been working on having this show. It was initially supposed to be just a P-Square live concert. We just felt it would help drive the album forward and add more value to the show. It was originally a Flytime show just like the 2Face and Mo’ Hits shows.

Last year, the story that your dad visited you in Lagos here was big, are they coming for the show?

JUDE: Firstly, the whole family is flying in from Jos and other places for this show. Then, when our dad came last year, it was his first time of ever coming to see us in Lagos. He is also busy with his business in Jos and even when he came, we had to promise to pay him all he would have made from the business for the period he would stay with us in Lagos, before he came. But we didn’t really have to promise or pay him that, he is our father and we just wanted him to come and be with us for some time and see how we are doing in Lagos.

When he eventually arrived, he was very happy. He was really proud of us and told us that he never expected it to be this good. He thought most of the things he was reading in the papers were just fabrications and it was only then he started believing what he was reading in the papers.

What did he tell you people about marriage?

PAUL: Our dad is not that kind of person; he respects everyone as his own man. Everything about marriage comes from the moms; they are the ones that always want you to settle down. When our parents came here and saw how responsibly we were living, our mom really calmed down and let us be.

When are you guys getting married?

JUDE: I will get married when I want to get married. I have everything it takes to get married, but I am not going to do it just to satisfy other people. I want to get married and stay married, which means I have to get someone that is compatible with me before I can take that step. I am looking at someone now, but it is not yet confirmed.

PAUL: Like Jude said, getting married is not just done to please others. I’m not in a hurry and I have someone I would get married to. The person has been with me ever since, even before our breakthrough and as soon as we are ready, we would let everyone know.

 -courtesy Yes International magazine

WALE BABALAKIN IN TROUBLE …AS TINUBU, AMOSUN, ODUAH DESCEND ON HIM

Wale Babalakin

 Let’s face facts: These are not the best of times for cerebral billionaire and lawyer, Dr. Wale Babalakin (SAN). And the reasons are the two fierce battles he’s currently engaged in with Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah.

Besides the 60 days ultimatum given to his company, Bi-Courtney Highway Services, to complete the initial repair work on the bad spots on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway by the Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, the Ogun State government has also been giving him serious headache over access to some portions of the road, a move we understand allegedly has the unseen hand of the godfather of South West politics, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The ACN  (Action Congress of Nigeria) chieftain is rumoured to also be interested in the multi-billion naira contract.

The Aviation Minister, meanwhile, just added to Babalakin’s headache on Thursday, July 28, 2011 when she cancelled the N2500 passenger service charge all domestic travellers using the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two, in Ikeja, Lagos, which is being managed by the company – and which had been on since July 7, pay. The charge was hitherto N1000. Thus, it attracted serious criticisms immediately it was increased, especially because most passengers still can’t fathom the rationale.

And perhaps to prove that there’s no going back on her decision, the minister who owns Sea Petroleum and Gas, a multi-billion naira downstream oil company, posted it on her Facebook page. Giving reasons for her action in her letter to the MD of BASL, the minister said, “There’s a procedure in the concession agreement, which must be adhered to and until then, you are to desist from the collection of the PSC”.

The letter was signed by Anne Ene-Ita, a permanent secretary in the ministry.

Responding, Dipo Kehinde of BASL had this to say, “We have only read about it on the Minister’s Facebook”. BASL, it would be recalled, won the contract to build, operate and transfer the MM2 facility during the regime of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Their chairman, Dr. Wale Babalakin, equally enjoyed a good relationship with late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. In fact, he was appointed one of the man’s special advisers – but with what is currently on ground, the reverse may be the case with those now in power.

STATE BURIAL FOR CHRISTY ESSIEN

Christy Essien Igbokwe

Musicians in Nigeria are planning a state burial for the late Lady of Songs, Christy Essien-Igbokwe. This is the information coming from the Burial Committee which has been meeting ever since the death of Christy on Thursday, June 30. 

The committee is headed by Dr. Austin Izagbo and has Ken Calebs Olumese, Onyeka Onwenu, Tee Mac Itseli, Fred Agbaje, Clarion Chukwura, Yeni Kuti, Laolu Akins , Daniel Wilson, Nonye Ben Nwankwo, Alozie Uzoukwu and Tony Okoroji as members. Okoroji is also the head of the Ceremonial and Publicity Sub-Committees.

Christy Essien-Igbokwe was a Member of the Federal Republic (MFR) and the Federal Government is also going to play a big role in the burial ceremony. Ever since Governor Babatunde Fashola  of Lagos visited the Talabi Street, Ikeja, Lagos home of the deceased and noticed the amount of sympathizers visiting the compound daily, his government has constantly supplied light refreshments for the family and the Lagos State Government is heavily involved in the burial plans.

Christy Essien will be buried in Lagos on Friday, September 9, 2011.

J-MARTINS TO RELEASE NEW WORKS THIS MONTH

J-Martins n Fally Ipupa

It’s two years now since the release of J. Martins’ last album, ELEVATED and expectations are high for a new body of work from him. He knows that and has been busy working. So far, there are already enough songs to make up an album, but he might not be dropping a full album this year. This is because he feels that there are already a lot of that in the market. 

However, he has just recorded a couple of songs with the Malian sensation, Fally Ipupa and a South African, Cabo Snoop of the “Windhoek” fame.  “Good Time” is one of them and it featured Cabo Snoop. The video has already been shot in South Africa while “Only Papa” was with Fally Ipupa who he had featured on the remix of his song “Jupa” last year. The songs would be released this August.

He is also planning for a big concert in October this year. The show would be tagged J. MARTINS AND FRIENDS and would hold at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos. Fally Ipupa and Cabo Snoop have already been confirmed for the show.

On his marriage plans, he first laughed: “As a gay person, am I going to marry a man or a woman? I am getting married soon and I have a lady I have been seeing for some time now. She is not in the public eye and I will like to respect her privacy. Once we are ready to go public, you will be the first to know.”

7 miracle babies

The latest rocking all over now is the result of  a DNA test conducted penultimate week, which revealed that acclaimed mother of 7 miracle babies, Precious Donatus Ogbonna, may be telling the lie of the decade

The result of the test which was conducted by Pathcare Nigeria Limited in partnership with Pathcare South Africa, states “Maternity is excluded in more than two of fifteen DNA maker systems.

 According reports, precious was childless for about twelve years of marriage before she came up with this multiple birth story.

Precious Ogbonna

While many still wonder where, she came across the kids, some sources have been insinuating that she intend to use the kids for rituals someday, while others say she intend to use the story to earn the pity of the government, the general public and further enrich herself, infact the list of speculations is endless than one can imagine, but stay tuned with us as we work to unravel the mystery behind these miracle babies.

                                                                                                        -Desmond Ike 

AND TERRY G STILL BOWS FOR PRAYERS

Unlike what  it may be expected of controversial singer, Gabriel Amayin, aka Terry G, the singer and producer seemed like someone under the influence of the anointing when in the pix here, he bowed down his head for prayers  in a Redeem church somewhere around Fagba, a suburb in Lagos state penultimate week.

Findings revealed that though weird in his ways, Terry G does not joke with his relationship with his God and as such rarely misses Sunday service, in his church.

Terry G is has joined the league of other showbiz personalities, like ID Cabasa and Ksolo who all holds a position in their various churches.

DIAMOND MOVES TO ACQUIRE OCEANIC BANK

Alex Otti, MD Diamond Bank Plc

The number of troubled banks in the country, have continued to increase by the day. First it was Intercontinental bank and now Oceanic, while that of Finbank is still on the way.

A statement by the group managing director of Diamond bank Plc, Mr Alex Otti few weeks back  indicates 

that Diamond bank is seriously warming up to take over Oceanic bank following thw possibility of Intercontinental Bank take over by Access Bank and the financial ‘romance’ between FCMB and FinBank, Diamond Bank.

 It would be recalled that Oceanic Bank was one of the ailing banks bailed out by Central Bank of Nigeria when the toxic debts profile of the bank became unbearable. At the peak of the crises that rocked the Nigerian financial sector, the former managing director, Mrs. Cecelia Ibru was arrested for mismanagement. She was jailed by the court.

 If Diamond Bank eventually takes over Oceanic Bank, then it would be good news because Central Bank had given it up to September 30 to get a buyer. we were further informed that the take over won’t involve cash purchase, rather it would be a share to share combination.

 At the moment, the Oceanic Bank in Sao Tome, which was owned by the bank, had been sold to Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim, a billionaire businessman, founder of Global Fleet Oil and Gas. He is also the chairman of Air Nigeria, Mirror Newspapers and Nicon Group of Companies. Ibrahim bought Oceanic Sao Tome 100 per cent.

 Diamond Bank is a new generation bank under the leadership of Alex Otti, a financial expert/ He was an Assistant General Manager with UBA before he left to join Finbank. He rose to the position of executive director with Finbank before he joined Diamond Bank as MD.

 It would be recalled that few months ago, the managing director of First Bank,Mr. Bisi Onasanya said his bank dropped the idea of acquiring Oceanic because it was not a good deal.

CHARLES AHIZE TALKS ABOUT TRIBECCA, NEW LOVER MAUREEN EMENALUM AND MORE

Charles Ahize and Maureen Emenalum

What haven’t they said or written about Lagos businessman, Chief Charles Ahize, in the last few weeks?

From the failed Tribeca partnership to his crumbled marriage and even his new love interest, we’ve been serenaded with all. Yet none of those feasting on these stories has bothered to hear his side.

In this interview, the Atlantic Auto boss took time to dissect issues as itt concerns the many controversies hovering around him for sometime now, his crashed marriage, his new lover Maureen Emenalum, Tribecca et al. excerpts

What has been happening to Chief Charles Ahize?

Well, a lot of ups and downs; family, business, politics. But at the end of the day, I’m on top of things. I’m alive, healthy, a brand new man, happy and I meet up with my demands, because that’s the most important things in my life.

You’ve been in the news heavily in the last few weeks, unlike before. How do you feel about this constant mention in the papers?

My first advice is to my opponents or my enemies: be weary of going into partnerships when it comes to business. On my marriage, two adults, two consenting adults can go into marriage and when they fall out of love, they can resolve amicably to go their separate ways. It’s natural, it’s normal, and especially with people in high society.

Earlier, you advised against going into partnership. Were you referring to the Tribeca drama?

Definitely!

So, what exactly is the problem or issue between you and your partners at Tribeca?

Definitely, definitely! It is the issue of entertainment. I never wished to get into entertainment and I abhor men who present themselves as Jack of all trades and master of none. My business is armoured vehicles, cars, automobiles generally. I never wished to venture into any other thing apart from that. Whenever I meet anybody in a position of authority or those I see prospects in, the beginning and the end of what I will tell them is automobile business. Delving into entertainment was just borne out of my desire of being a jolly good fellow. I like having fun and when somebody mooted the idea to invest in a lounge and a wonderful restaurant, I saw it as an avenue where I can entertain my guests, because I have too many people in high places and even below as friends. So, I just thought that if I have a place I can call my own and where I can also entertain my friends, it won’t be a bad idea, because it costs me so much entertaining my guests in highbrow restaurants and lounges. That was actually what attracted me; not the money. Because I mean, how much can somebody make from bars and restaurants? My greatest attraction was for me and my clientele; if I have any of my friends who is coming into town and I want to entertain the person, I can take them there. But I was beaten to that because there is one Igbo adage…You know I’m an Igbo leader and we do not express anything deep without a proverb. Do you know what they call bitter kola? The sound of a bitter kola when chewed is quite different from its taste. When you hear the sound, you will think that it is a sumptuous thing to eat, but if you taste it, it is very bitter. So, the way they sold the proposal to me, honestly, it is still like a mystery to me till today.

So, who sold the idea of investing in a lounge to you?

It’s Ahmed (Uwhubetine), it’s Ahmed. Ahmed has been my friend, my social friend.

But there are three of you…

(Cuts in) It was Ahmed that brought Solo. Solo is my friend, but a social friend as well; a distant friend. But it was Ahmed that brought us together. Actually, Ahmed wanted to bring more people, but I told him no, that I didn’t want a crowd. In fact, I told him that I didn’t want a third person, but he said he had been committed to Solo. And because I see Solo as a reasonable gentleman, I said okay, let him come on board.

So, how did you people now fall out because at some point Ahmed was eased out?

Nobody eased out anybody. I am the person that incorporated Tribeca Entertainment. And it was done in good faith. In fact, I commend the maturity of Solo and Ahmed because when they said I should incorporate Tribeca Entertainment, we didn’t talk about allocation of shares. They left me, gave me a free hand, I incorporated it and gave everybody equal shares. We all have equal shares in Tribeca.

But one person must have 34 percent?

We all have equal shares.

If all of you have 33 percent each, how about the remaining one percent?

We kept it for staff encouragement. Yeah! They didn’t follow me to Abuja. I incorporated it and we didn’t even discuss it. I just brought the file and gave it to them; that I’ve given everybody equal shares.

So, at what point was Ahmed shoved aside, because the news was all over town then when he left?

My brother, my brother, anybody who has followed board room politics, when three people are shareholders, in a meeting, two people are in the majority. It’s simple. So, if you are managing an outfit owned by three people, when two people say it’s their turn now, let others also try, it’s not in bad faith. Because the person was there before. It could have been the other way round; if it was Solo that started the management, we could half way, tell Solo, let Ahmed manage. Me, from the beginning, no, because I’m too big for that.

Ahmed later came back at some point, why was he brought back?

Nooo! Ahmed is a director, he’s not a shareholder. He owns the business. So, no matter the acrimony there, you can’t wish him away. Even if he takes a walk! It’s like a house you built, any day you like, you come and ask what’s going on.

How about the tale that at inception all of you were supposed to contribute a specific amount, you and Solo did, but Ahmed didn’t?

I think you should ask Solo and Ahmed about that first. I’m older, I’m an older man and older people don’t divulge information easily. It is the younger ones who do. So, I think you should ask them first.

It was also said that when you took over the running, you were not doing it well and that at some point you had to turn down a N2 million business just to stage a party for your lover? And that you even lied that the event was your birthday instead of hers…

My brother, that story is totally false. I’ve never managed Tribeca. It’s an insult to my person. How can I come and manage a restaurant and a lounge? For what? Am I placing a curse on my personality? Never! Anyday I desire to do such a thing, that means I have a problem. Don’t you know I have grown up children? I will suggest they take me to a pastor to deliver me any day I do that. My mates are looking for oil blocks and oil license and I’m going to manage a club. How much am I going to make there? Can it service my lifestyle? Never! I’ve never! Rather, as an older person and somebody who is more experienced, whenever there was an issue between Solo and Ahmed, I tried to use my wisdom to whittle it down. I never managed Tribeca and I never wanted to.

How about the allegation that some people wanted to pay N2 million to use the place and you turned it down and later used the place for a party?

My brother, these things are false. What’s the sense in somebody being offered N2 million and he will instead prefer to stage a party for a girlfriend? Everybody knows that my birthday is in November. I was born on the 7th of November. And this party happened in November, so is it that I’m lying to people that it’s my birthday? If the thing was in July, then somebody could say maybe I was lying. Moreover, somebody of my caliber, if I have a birthday for myself that had been planned ahead and somebody comes to offer me N100 million, do you think I should accept it? Even if you pay me N100 million and I accept it, you should know that I don’t have dignity and any principle. So, nothing like that happened. There was no issue like that. There was not even an offer. Now, on a lighter note, if indeed there was somebody that wanted to pay me N2 million, I would have just shifted my party for him. I’m an Igbo man (General laughter). I did not see money, I did not see offer, so there was nothing like that.

How about the tale that in spite of getting a new person to run the place, you people are yet to sign the necessary papers?

My brother, there is nothing like that. In a bid to make up stories, people cook up stories that never exist or existed. Look, we got somebody to manage the place and the person has gone in and started doing his business.

But they claimed you people are yet to sign the papers?

Do you need an agreement when the club is already running? So, if it was the issue of agreement, why did the man put his money there in the first place? The club is running! The club is open. The new management has taken over and it’s been like that for over one month and somebody is still talking about an agreement. What agreement!

Did the guy buy you people out or a new partnership has begun?

No! We gave him the place to run. We gave him one hundred percent free hand to run the place and make his money. Any proceeds he makes, he gives us what is due to us.

Why is the current state of your relationship with Ahmed and Solo?

Very cordial. Very, very cordial. Ahmed did not sleep with my wife neither did Solo. Or did they kill my father or my mother. It’s a business. I invested money and I didn’t see my returns and there was no good management and we’ve given it to a totally new person that I believe can turn the place around. All I need is returns.

Why would you say the partnership failed?

I am not into entertainment and I don’t want to be. Solomon, I know, is also not into entertainment. Solomon is an architect and a builder. So, our professions are complete opposites to entertainment. The only person that is into entertainment is Ahmed and I believe that probably time has left Ahmed. Because, you see, the things the younger ones will do now to get their clientele, Ahmed has overgrown them. That is what I think. Ahmed knows big men, but these younger ones that their clubs are rocking, they are young. They can move from here (Lekki) to go and see a group of girls. Ahmed cannot do that. So, I believe that time has overtaken Ahmed. I believe seriously that time has overtaken Ahmed, about what people do now in that line of business. Ahmed cannot mix up with everybody and night club business means that you have to mix up with anybody which makes you to build a good clientele, but which Ahmed’s personality, I don’t think, can fit into now. That’s actually what I think. There are other clubs that have older crowds, but those people, probably, have a clique already existing. Ahmed’s clique, for now, I don’t think they are the ones that want to drink to die.

Do you still look forward to the resurrection of Tribeca or is Tribeca dead and buried?

What is in a name? There’s nothing in a name. I’ve told you, my involvement there is to see where I can catch my fun with my friends. Where I can entertain my friends in government, business partners and if there are proceeds from there, I put in my pocket. So, what is in a name? Whether it is Tribeca, whether it’s Chrome, whether it’s Mango, all I need is existence. Let the place exist and let it serve the purpose I invested in it.

They said a lot of people were owning Tribeca, they couldn’t pay and that, that also contributed to the demise?

Like I told you, the major setback we had there was our personalities. Especially for Solo and I. Our incomes didn’t depend on what we made from there. So, it’s neither here nor there. So, the zeal with which we would have chased people who are our debtors wasn’t there. We took it for granted because we felt that everybody was as comfortable as we were.

Oluomo Takes Malo Petroleum Boss, Kasumu's Wife, Suliat As Wife No. 2!

MC Oluomo

Following the highly publicized controversy that generated recently between Musiliu Akinsanya, popularly reffered to as Olu Omo, the NURTW chieftain has yet bathed in another pool of controversy after finally taking the wife of  Malo Petroleum boss, Kasumu, who goes by the name Suliate.

Oluomo is said to have taken Suliat home to his wife, Modinat and introduce her as the newest addition to the family.

Sources divulged that Modinat, recently deported from Dublin, was said to have raised hell over the development at the occurrence that came to be at the Ejigbo home of Akinsanya.

Her strident objections were however said to cut no ice with Oluomo- he was said to have insisted with his choice and have his way.

But in order to reduce tension at the home front, he was said to have perfected a new arrangement with Suliat. He goes visiting at her Magodo home whenever he wants to spend time with her and she plays occasional visits to his Ejigbo abode.

Before this latest development the social scene was awash with news of alleged romance between Oluomo and Suliat.

With this lates development, the doubts about their much rumoured affair will be finally dismissed.

All efforts to reach Oluomo to react to the story proved abortive, as his mtn phoneline was switched. More reports will come your way on this.

DETHRONED DEJI OF AKURE's BATTERED WIFE DIES

Olori Bolanle

Barely a year after suffering a severe beating from by her husband, the  then Deji of Akure, Olori Bolanle is dead. Although inside sources associated her death to a long time illness, which might not be far from the dreaded HIV aides, but  according to family sources, the Olori sustained some injuries   during the incident of the assault from her husband 
Reports from Akure has it that the Olori had been going in and out of hospital ever since the attack. She finally passed on  yesterday morning  Tuesday June 12 at St. Mary Specialist Hospital, Ojodu, Ikeja, Lagos  She was only 35 year old, sad!

Five, found dead in Restaurant

Five girls were found dead this morning in Ikeja, Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, after yesterday’s heavy rains forced them to sleep in a poorly ventilated room in their restaurant where they worked.
The corpses of the four teenage-girls and a baby-girl, aged between three months and 18 years, were discovered this morning inside the stuffy room on Allen Avenue in Ikeja.
according to neighbours, the girls may have died of suffocation overnight in the room where they sought refuge after rains wreacked havoc in Lagos yesterday.
Two other girls, who also slept in the same room, were still in critical condition at Bodet Hospital at Alausa in Ikeja, it was gathered. They were said to be responding to treatment.

The five corpses were brought to Area F Police Station in Ikeja early today in a commuter bus.
it was further discovered that a mother and her three-month-old girl were among the dead.

The victims, it was gathered, were brought sometime ago from neighbouring Benin Republic to work in a restaurant in Lagos. The restaurant owner, who was at the police station this morning, disclosed that she had brought them from Benin Republic to train them.

The two other girls still battling for life at Bodet Hospital, our correspondent gathered, are Nigerians.
The woman, walling at the station, disclosed that she had asked the girls to cook outside their restaurant yesterday and stay in the restaurant until the rains stopped.

“My girls don’t usually sleep in the restaurant,” she said, “I did not know that they slept in the restaurant yesterday. I asked them to cook outside the restaurant when they phoned me and said that water had entered the restaurant.”

“This morning, as I kept calling them, nobody was picking. I was worried and someone picked the call and told me that my girls are dead. I rushed here to confirm it. I can’t believe what I am seeing,” she lamented.
A man, who claimed to be the brother of one of the dead girls, was weeping at the station this morning.
Neighbours and friends who besieged the police station this morning wept and expressed shock. The five corpses were later taken to the Lagos State University Hospital, LASUTH.

Source:  PM News

2Face, Kanu Nwankwo Stages Football Tarlent Hunt

Telecommunication company Airtel has joined hands with Nigerian football starKanu Nwankwo and African music icon 2face Idibia to launch a talent program called ‘Airtel Rising Stars’. The event which was held in Lagos, was attended by sport practitioners, students, youths from football academy, and journalists.

The program will focus on identifying the upcoming football talents who are under the age of seventeen in the grassroots and will unveil them on the national stage by providing a platform for them to show their skills.

The talent hunt is open to both boys and girls and will be carried out in format of regional and national tournaments and will take place in South Africa under the supervision of the Sport Science Institute of South Africa.

‘The Airtel rising stars program is designed to provide a structured platform for scouts, coaches, football authorities and other partners to tap into a vast pool of upcoming talent, courtesy of the program and build strong soccer talent feeder systems for our league and national teams’, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Deepak Srivastava says.

The registration forms will be available in all Airtel offices around the country.

FCMB GMD, LADI BALOGUN WINS GLOBAL CHAMPIONS AWARD

Ladi Balogun an achiever and a banker pa excellence. Ladi Balogun receives Young Global Champions Award.

Ladi Balogun, the Group Managing Director of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc has been honoured with the award of This Day’s Young Global Champions in honour of young and daring Nigerians who are 50 and below and have taken Nigeria into global competition.

Ladi Balogun received this honour at the 16th Annual This Day Awards for Excellence and Good Governance which took place in Lagos, recently. Ladi Balogun was honoured for transforming a family owned bank in the face of the demise of other family owned banks. According to the organizers of the yearly awards, leaders of 14 corporate organizations in the country who have built new companies from scratch and made them world class received this year’s awards in this category.

Ladi Balogun, son of Otunba Subomi Balogun, remains one young man who has done tremendously well for himself. Ladi Balogun's impressive story could not have been otherwise, seeing that he, Ladi,  attended some of the best institutions in the world, and  complements with his prestigious and enviable father, Otunba Subomi Balogun, who appears to have conquered all challenges of life with his wealth.

 Ladi remains undaunted in his desire to further solidify and sustain the financial base of the Balogun's business empire, especially, the First City Monument Bank (FCMB), where he sits as Managing Director and CEO.

That Ladi Balogun rose to the leadership position in the thriving bank could be attributed to his passion for hard work and resilience. Ladi Balogun joined the bank (then FCMB Capital Markets Ltd) as a senior manager/team leader in 1995 and rose to become executive director, investment banking division. Ladi Balogun has been a team leader on capital raising, mergers and acquisition, as well as privatisation assignments

Ladi Balogun has over 18 years experience in commercial and investment banking abroad. In 1996 Ladi Balogun joined FCMB as Executive Assistant to the Chairman/CEO. In 2000, he was made Executive Director in charge of Strategy and Business Development and in 2001 Deputy Managing Director. Ladi Balogun was appointed the Managing Director in 2005.

Ladi’s impressive profile no doubt is a rare one in the society especially as a young man, he is happily married.