Photo: 2face and Annie Idibia on set of a music video

Annie Idibia who is currently working on a video shoot with her husband, 2face Idibia, shared this photo from the shoot. She said: Can't wait for you all to seethis... #bestThingsInLifeAreFree #shoot

MTN splashes millions on brand ambassadors (photos)

In line with its commitment to enhancing the lives of Nigerian musicians by providing platforms through which they can get lucrative value for their intellectual properties, leading ICT Company, MTN will spend millions on its brand ambassadors in the next one year. MTN’s GM, Consumer Marketing, Richard Iweanoge, made the announcement on Thursday while also unveiling CobhamsAsuquo, as the latest addition to MTN’sbrand ambassadors. He would be joiningDavido, Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage, Dr. Sid, Sound Sultan, Iyanya, Chidinma, Banky W, KCee as well as Saka, Osuofia, Mama Gee and others who all renewed their contracts with MTN. As was originally conceptualized, the ambassadorship will continually evolve to accommodate new talents and cater for diverse segments. This year, we are using a segmented approach and there will be ambassadors for each segment of our market. Using this criteria, new artistes like CobhamsAsuquowill be coming on board the MTN Ambassadorial family. However, for 2015, artistes like Timaya,Wizkid, seanTizzle and a few others will no longer be ambassadors for the brand even though the relationship continues in other areas in which MTN enables artists to monetise their work. ‘’Although there is a finite number of brand ambassadors we can have at any point in time, Nigerian Artistes can continue to monetize their intellectual works through our distribution channels such as the Caller Tunez and Music Plus platforms.” he said “With billions invested so far in Nigeria’s music industry, MTN remains one of the biggest supporters of the music industry. We have a track record of consistently providing the stage for some of Nigeria’s biggest artistes to shine and express themselves. For MTN, we see the growth of the music industry as a continuum and not a destination. That is why we will continue to engage and support our local artistes so that they can find full expression for their talents.” According to him, “When we talk of our ambassadors, we have amongst them Iyanya, Praiz and Chidinma, three past participants in the Project Fame. MTN not only gave them the platform to express their talents through the music reality TV show, but we have consistently supported them over the years by making them our ambassadors. We can safely say that our investments in them have paid off because now they are counted among Nigeria’s biggest music acts and we are truly proud of them.” Going further,Iweanoge said that while the Brand Ambassadorial platform remains a crucial part of MTN’s contribution to the music industry, the company also makes significant contribution to the industry via its music related Value Added Services. “For instance, through our Caller Ring Back Tunez (CRBT), MTN has become the largest music distributor in Africa. Through the platform, we rescued Nigerian musicians from the scourge of piracy. They are able to make good money as a result of their hard work. Also, as Nigeria’s most innovative telecoms company, we have been able to deploy music as a platform to give other value added services to our teeming subscribers,which have also proven to be a significant source of revenue for the artistes likeMTN Music+ app and a host of other platforms.”

Obafemi Martins, his son and his super car take a photo

That car is like N75million.

Businessman: EFCC detained, tortured me for 80 days

A businessman/politician and environmentalist, Alhaji Suleiman Yerima narrates how he was detained and tortured for 80 days by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) while he was incarcerated by them. In a petition addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, Yerima detailed the inhuman treatment he got in the hands of the EFCC operatives and how he and his friend, Mr. Uwem Antia were battered in a torture cell operated by the EFCC in Lagos in collaboration with the police. He said he survived the ordeal only by the grace of God. He said his ordeal bagan on March 3 while he was out of Lagos on a business trip. He said EFCC operatives called him and invited him and his friend, Antia, who he claimed is currently in a critical condition as a result of the injuries he sustained during the series of torture they received while in the custody of EFCC operatives. He said: “I honoured the invitation by going to EFCC with Mr. Antia in company with my lawyers. On arrival, I was shown the petition. In the petition, the petitioner alleged that he gave me N120 million to source for dollars for him and that I have not given him the dollars,” Yerima explained.He said he told the operatives that he had made the payments and had documented evidence to prove it. He said despite his attempt to explain and show evidence of transactions, he was detained along with Mr. Antia. “While in detention, we were denied bail by Iliyasu Kwarbai, the Director of Operations of EFCC in Lagos. EFCC hurriedly rushed to a magistrate court in Lagos on March 12 and obtained a detention warrant for 30 days. This was nine days after our initial detention without any charges filed against us. Later, Mr. Antia was handcuffed and taken to their torture chambers. Antia later told me they blindfolded him and hung him from 11pm till the early hours of the morning. “My life is in danger and these people are out to kill me. I want the whole world to know that. The president should set up a panel of enquiry and if I am found guilty, I am ready to go to jail. But this injustice must stop. EFCC officials are busy making money for themselves. They are more corrupt than the corrupt politicians. They are rotten. They give you bail conditions you cannot meet and then ask you to negotiate,” he alleged.However, the EFCC, denied Yerima’s claims. The spokesman of the anti-graft agency, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren said the claims were unfounded and should therefore be disregarded by the public. He said: “Alhaji Suleiman Yerima and Mr. Uwen Antia were on March 6, 2015 arrested by operatives of the EFCC for allegedly stealing the sum of $2,250,000 (two million, two hundred and fifty thousand US dollars) from two bankers. Their arrest followed a petition by Aginwa Gladys and Ale Dennis on February 17, 2015 The suspects allegedly approached the bankers: Gladys Aginwa and Ale Dennis in February, 2015, offering to sell foreign exchange to the tune of $10,000,000 USD to them. “After agreeing on the exchange rate, a sum of N672, 750, 000 was transferred from BlueBeam Capital Investment Limited and Capital Field Investment and Trust Limited into the account of one of the bankers: Smiles and Light Limited. It was from the banker’s account that the entire sum was moved into Antia’s account: Kafisto Oil and Gas Limited. “Findings showed that the entire sum of N672, 750,000 actually hit Antia’s account. A Bureau de Change operator who changed the money into its dollar equivalent, told EFCC’s investigators that he went with Antia to his bank along Bourdillon Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the transaction was confirmed. The Bureau de Change operator further said that, Antia subsequently transferred the sum of N666, 250,000 into his own account. He said he worked out the dollar equivalent of the money, which was $3,127,000 (three million, one hundred and twenty-seven thousand dollars). He said he could only give $3,124,000 to Antia, leaving a balance of $3,000 which he promised to give him the next day. “Immediately Antia collected the foreign exchange, he reportedly headed for No. 17A, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, where the two bankers and his accomplice, Suleiman were waiting for him. However, rather than hand over the entire foreign exchange to the bankers, he only gave them $1,000,000 (one million dollars), claiming that he could not source the entire amount. He allegedly promised to give them a balance of $2,250,000 (two million, two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars) the next day. This balance would be the dollar equivalent of the entire sum of the transaction (N672, 750,000). “The bankers said that since the day Antia and Suleiman gave them the initial $1,000,000, all efforts to reach them had proved abortive. ‘Their cell phones were turned off,’ they said. However, they lodged a complaint with the EFCC and operatives of the commission eventually arrested the two fraudsters.”

Photo of late Sir Ahmadu Bello encouraging female education

The Premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello pictured above encouraging girls in the north to pursue education.

Buhari to move into Aso Villa, announce some appointments next week

President Muhammadu Buhari is set to move into the Presidential Villa next week to continue his governance and may also name the first set of top government officials to start off the administration, a competent Presidency source confirmed. Since being declared winner of the 2015 Presidential election, Buhari has been operating from the Defence House in Maitama and has been conducting official business of government from there, having taken over the mantle of leadership on May 29, 2015 from former President Goodluck Jonathan. It was leant that the President was ready to move from Defence House to the Villa possibly early next week following completion of renovation of the President’s residence. “It is true that the construction company has completed the President’s wing and he is set to move in any moment from now. As at today, it is only the Vice President’s residence that is yet to be fully completed. “We expect that the two men will move into the villa by next week since the work in the Vice President’s apartment is not a serious one,” an official in the Presidency explained.The source explained that Buhari was set to begin naming some key officials of his government as soon as he moves into the Villa to prepare the grounds for the take off of serious work for Nigerians who have been expecting action from the administration. As a prelude to setting up his administration, Buhari has reportedly handed over the 800-page Transition Committee Report to a trusted team of his associates, headed by former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; former Ekiti governor, Kayode Fayemi and others to reduce into a sizable and workable document. Fashola is being tipped to emerge as Chief of Staff to the President because of his pedigree as a former Chief of Staff, governor and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. An impeccable source said that it was Buhari who instructed that after all others had completed working on transition report, they should hand over the voluminous document to Fashola to reduce into an implementable format for him to read and take necessary actions. The source said: “Hopefully, from next week, some appointments would be announced. Buhari is a fast reader and he will be able to take immediate actions based on the transition report.” A member of the Buhari Transition Committee, who pleaded anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the matter, confirmed that the final report presented to the president last week was a comprehensive document meant to guide him in taking decisions as to the shape and nature of his administration to bring about the needed change in the country. The member said that what they presented to the President was more of a blueprint and how best to go about it in order to bring the country out of the woods. The member said: “The final report is very rich and we believe it will help Mr. President in putting a solid structure of his government and give him policy direction as well.”

Photos: Terry G poses with a Ferrari

He shared the photos on instagram. Some fans assumed it's his but he didn't confirm or deny it. See more photos after the cut...