Saturday 17 September 2016

"I remember when I had to go sell my gold jewellery at Yaba just to pay Michelle ‘s school fees and for us to feed" Mercy Aigbe



Actress, Mercy Aigbe, can easily relate with mothers because she is one. The Omoge Benin actress had her daughter, Michelle, at 22.



The journey to stardom for her wasn’t a rosy one because she had to trade some of her valuables as a single mother to raise her daughter, who just celebrated her 15th birthday.


“Special shout out to all the single mums…I can relate, hmm I remember when I had to go sell my gold jewellery at Yaba just to pay Michelle ‘s school fees and for us to feed. I went through ‘HELL’”, she recounted.

She further stated, “Please stay focused, be determined, be hardworking and prayerful, put all your trust in the Lord because “we are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus” and trust me you will rise above those challenges. To all mothers, mothers to be , may the Lord continue to strengthen us and may we eat the fruit of our labour IJN. Responsible daddies you ain’t left out. Thank you all once again.”

Nollywood single mothers, Ann Njemanze and Adunni Ade still fighting over missing bracelet



Recently, a drama ensued between delectable actresses, Adunni Ade and Ann Njemanze popularly known as Domitilla over a missing bracelet.

It was gathered that the drama unfolded at the set of a recent movie that was shot in Ikeja, Lagos.

According to what a source told Saturday Beats, Adunni had been feeling some hostility from Ann but kept her cool till she was ‘accused of stealing.’

“It seems Ann has an issue with Adunni because she was quite hostile towards her. She kept referring to herself as a veteran and made some snide comment that Adunni is a newbie in the game. Because Adunni got her script that day, she forgot some of her lines and was assisted with it as the shoot went on. After her scenes, she wanted to get something from her car but forgot to hold her car key. I overheard Ann say ‘how would she forget her key when it is not her line.’ Adunni heard but kept her cool,” the source said.

However, hell was let loose when Ann began to look for her bracelet and someone said that they had searched all the bags except Adunni’s. This upset Adunni and she instantly lashed out at Ann, asking her why she accused of stealing.


All efforts by their colleagues to settle the quarrel fell on deaf ears as Adunni ensured she spoke her mind and even offered that her things could be searched before she drove off. Minutes later, Ann also left angrily.

When Saturday Beats reached out to Adunni over the incident, she said that she did not want to make any comment.

“I don’t have any issue with Ann and I really don’t have any comment on this issue. I don’t have any issue with anybody. There was no issue now and there never would be. I don’t know who you have spoken to but I don’t have any comment,” Adunni said.

I like being around beautiful women, they inspire me- Solid Star



Joshua Iniyezo, popularly known as Solidstar recently had a chat with Star Tracker and he opened up on his journey so far in music and why he loved being around beautiful women.

How is your journey into music so far? I wouldn’t say it is that easy because at the beginning. I started all alone and I was working and saving money to record. So, it wasn’t that easy. Thank God for Achievers Entertainment, they came in and saw my talent and they signed me. The first song I dropped under Achievers was “One in a million” featuring 2baba. Since then, we have been pushing forward. After that song, the fame was just there but then, money wasn’t coming in.


Sometime ago, you did a theme song for the Super Eagles’ World Cup Campaign. How did it feel being recognised by your country? I felt good. First of all, I have to say that my work speaks for itself. And my good management has been working hard. When they picked me as the official artiste to do the World Cup theme song, I thought to myself that this means I have been working really hard. That really gingered me and even when I record, I put in extra work because I know the competition out there is really tight. So, I take my time when doing any song.


What gives you inspiration as an artiste? I get my inspiration from women; I like being around them but they are just my friends. I love to hear what they are saying about themselves. So, I get inspired by the words, and I just put one or two of their words into my lyrics and come out with whatever I see around me.

How do you manage and handle your female fans? I have to learn how to control my female fans because I don’t like scandals. So, whenever I come across them, I treat them good. I make them feel at home. As I said, I always love being around women. I love ladies.


Which artiste you have not worked with that you hope to do something with? Definitely, Wizkid and Davido.


What’s been happening to you lately? A lot of things have been going on with me lately. I have done a lot of shows and tours inside and outside Nigeria. The more singles I drop, the more videos I get. They make me get bigger by the year.


Every artiste has a selling point, so what’s your own selling point? Well, I would say it is my voice, my hair, which are dreadlocks and my looks.


In the future, how do you intend to stay active in the game? I am this kind of artiste that would record songs every day, if I had the opportunity. I record up to five songs in a week. I do work hard and that is why when I drop a song, I don’t let the standard drop. I always try to get better. I will be off to South Africa to shoot videos for three songs because I have shot all my videos in Nigeria and I am also looking at international collaborations in the future.

Gunmen Abduct Nine Lagos Landlords



Nine landlords have been abducted in Lagos. According to The Nation, theywere abducted today at the Isheri, Ogun Estate. The paper reports that the victims were having a routine exercise beside Lekki Gardens Estate when they were abducted.

Khloe Kardashian Confirms Romance With Tristan Thompson??


Khloe Kardashian appears to have confirmed her relationship with Tristan Thompson. The 32-year-old was caught in a steamy embrace with a hunky man on Snapchat last night during a night out, with fans claiming he looked strikingly similar to the Cleveland Cavaliers star.

A pal caught the pair kissing on his camera phone while he was making a Snapchat video


In the clip, the Keeping Up With The Kardashians star lovingly places her hands on either side of her companion's face, as she leans in planting a number of kisses on his lips.

Odunlade Adekola Lands Movie Role With RMD, Ireti Doyle..



After reading the headline you already know he has landed his first major movie role in English language. Well this is a fact and Yoruba movie lovers will now have the opportunity of seeing their star speak in another language.

Odunlade will feature in the movie alongside RMD, Ireti Doyle, Jaiye Kuti and other top Nollywood acts. I hear the movie is about love.

And like you already know, Mercy Aigbe just left the set of single ladies, which features strictly English speaking Nollywood actresses.

Popular Big Girl, Madam Cash, Arrested For Child Trafficking



People living in deceit often think they are fooling others, but you're just setting yourself up for the day of ridicule. The Delta State Police Headquarters, Asaba, has caught up with some child stealing and trafficking syndicate, operating with impunity in the state.

12 children have been recovered and 2 parents have come to claim their children while the 10 others have been sent to St Barnabas Orphanage Asaba, pending identifications by their families.

The suspected criminal are: 32yrs old Abigail Nwakama aka Madam Cash, who has a shop at Stop Abortion Junction before St. Brigds, Nnoruka Obioma, 21, Chidinma Anikwesiri, 20, Ifeoma Anyadike. Madam Cash's 11yrs old daughter, Onyinye Nwakama, is also in custody.


They confessed to the crime and later led police detectives to Ogidi in Anambra State where the 12 stolen children were recovered from one Pastor Chinedu Strongson, 48, of Gospel Fire Ministry which is located Nkwele-Ogidi, David Ikesinachi, Ebere Edwin, Adaeze Enyi, Chike Agwunenu.

Police say Pastor Chinedu Strongson paid them 400,000 for each child sold to him.

A Lady Can Be Classy Without Going Nude



Former beauty queen turned fashion designer, Maryam Elisha, speaks about her career and style.

What influenced your decision to become a fashion designer?
I have always loved fashion and when I won Ms. Valentine Nigeria beauty pageant in 2007, I had the opportunity of wearing very expensive and beautiful dresses from top designers all over the world. It was only natural for me, having worn so many beautiful dresses, to want to bring the beautiful look and trend to Nigeria.

I wanted to create lovely dresses for Nigerians at affordable prices. I also felt my fashion designing business could fund my foundation because I believe in working hard and financing what I do.

It is not every time you need to look for sponsors. You should be able to do something for the charity organisation that you are representing. I saw fashion as a business and it is also something I love doing.
I went into modelling...and it did not affect me as a person. I still go to church and I am a worker in the church. I dress decently and I am never seen in the wrong places that my parents would frown at.


Has the economic recession in the country affected your business?
Yes it has affected my business a lot. Clients that never bargained before now do so. Sometimes the way they bargain is ridiculous as they slash prices by more than half and their excuse is that things are hard. But if they really love the piece and I feel it is convenient for us, we sell it to them. It has been difficult in terms of getting fabrics too especially because of the exchange rate but we are trying to cope and we pray it lasts for only a moment.

Dangote To Presidency: Sell LNG, Beef Up Reserves & Recession Will End Latest By December




Billionaire Aliko Dangote has prescribed ways through which Nigeria can get out of recession and the present hardship before the end of 2016.

In an interview with CNBC Africa, the billionaire said: “The only way for us to get out of this recession is to make sure we move into action quickly; action by diversifying the economy quickly.

Below are details of Dangote’s solutions:

As put together The Cable...
SELL STAKE IN NLNG AND AFRICAN FINANCE COOPERATION
“If I had challenges in my company, I would not hesitate to sell assets, to remain afloat, to get to the better times, because it doesn’t make any sense for me to keep any assets and then suffocate the whole organisation.

“What we need to do now in my own thinking… we have a lot of assets to sell. We can sell part of the joint venture; part of the shares. You know government normally owns 60 percent.

“We can sell in an open tender be it Chinese. We can change the term and make it an operating one, just like what we have in NLNG. We also have another asset I think we don’t really need.

“The African finance corporation; it can fetch them $800million easily. My own suggestion before was that they should even sell 100 percent of NLNG. I don’t think government should be in any business of investing in sectors of LNG.

“A company like that, with earnings of $1.5 billion on the average, they should get anywhere between $12 billion and $15 billion.”

SHORE UP RESERVES WITH NLNG SALE PROCEEDS
“You will not believe that the crisis that we have today, if we have $15 billion, adding it to our $25 billion, that is $40 billion reserves. That will give confidence, confidence will come back, then government will back it up with proper economic policy, where people can see the roadmap.

“Latest by fourth quarter we will be out of recession. It should be a partnership between government and private sector. We have all the answers, Nigeria falling into recession does not really scare me, if we take action.”

NAIRA AT 250 TO THE DOLLAR
The businessman said if the government boosts reserves as suggested, the naira may fall to 250 to the dollar and help the economy.

“Once we can sell assets, and put $15 billion together, you’d be very shocked at how much the dollar will actually drop, you can easily see 250. What is happening today is mere speculation.

“To currency, everybody will speculate, banks will speculate, companies will speculate, individuals will speculate, because if you have money you want to send in from abroad you will keep sending in trickles.

“If you know that CBN has $40 billion in reserves today, if you have $100,000, you might even sell it forward because you know that this rate is going to crash and you must quickly sell it.”

OTHER THINGS WE LEARNT FROM DANGOTE’S INTERVIEW
•India has no oil, yet has over 2 billion tonnes in refining capacity

•Nigeria imports poverty and export jobs

•We do not produce up to five percent of the clothes we wear

•Government should not be in the business of building factories, but just collecting taxes

•China has more than 500 billionaires on the Forbes list and over three million millionaires

•If I have to build a road of 1,000 kilometres in Nigeria, I don’t have to waste years talking about it. I raise money and build it, and hand over to government after 20 to 25 years.

•If not for Dangote Cement, government will have to put down $2.5 billion dollars in 2016 to import cement.

•We need 65 million cubic metres of sand for Dangote refinery.

•Dangote Refinery mechanical completion will finish by 2018, but oil will flow into the refinery by first quarter of 2019.