Nollywood actress, Dakore Akande-Egbeson, is really protecting herself from bad press and she has indeed being having things her way which has paid off.
The actress is not the type whose stories or picture floods the various media pages but when it does, they are always for a good course and that seems to have earned her lots of respect and accolades.
Dakore recently showed how pretty she is despite blessed with kids as she has been able to still maintain her radiant looks which makes her man to smile anytime he sees her at home as she released some stunning photos of herself.
Outspoken Nigerian celebrity, Charly Boy and his wife Diane have been together as couples for well over 38 years now and still, their love is as young as Kylie and Tyga‘s.
They look more than perfect for each other though!
A 17-year-old Indian schoolgirl named Ruby Rai grabbed national headlines last month after she topped the Class 12 examination, has been arrested over the weekend and sent to 14-days judicial custody after she wrote just one sentence in her re-test ordered by state authorities.
Ruby Rai, ranked first in the Bihar state exams said in a video interview to celebrate her fear that her main subject, political science, was about cooking.
She also said ‘Political Science’ is ‘Prodigal Science.’ After the video went viral, she was made to re-sit her exams, and was arrested after she failed and had her original results cancelled.
The disgraced student of VR College in Vaishali district told the police on Sunday that she never expected to top the Class 12 examination and just wanted to simply pass the test.
She was among several toppers whose results were scrapped and re-test ordered. But she flunked the re-test, managing only a single line – “Tulsidas ji, pranam” – when asked to write an essay on the poet in her re-test. She claimed she had forgotten what she studied.
Ruby Rai, after she was declared the topper in Political Science, told reporters that the subject included cooking
“Hum dehaat ki ladki hain, humko nahi pata hum kaise top kar gaye (I am a village girl. I don’t know how I topped the examination),” Rai, was quoted by police as saying during the interrogation.
The teen girl was arrested on the premises of the Bihar School Examination Board Education after she failed the re-test. She was kept at the women’s police station before being produced in court.
Sources said Rai told the police that her college principal, Bachcha Roy, the alleged scam kingpin, was distantly related to her. However, she said she never had any direct contact with him. She did not rule out the possibility that her father interacted with Roy.
According to the Nation, the Dangote Group’s President Aliko Dangote has said during the weekend that his company lost N50 billion to the flexible foreign exchange policy.
Dangote spoke when Vice President Yemi Osinbajo toured the project sites of Dangote Fertiliser and Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos.
Dangote said the $161 million his companies bought during that period from the CBN merely reflected the size of his business and did not represent preferential treatment.
He said:
“We have been badly affected like any other company,” he said, arguing that operational costs totalled $100 million each month due to recurring expenses, such as the purchase of parts for cement production and running a fleet of 9,000 trucks.“When you are talking about 20 billion dollars worth of projects, what is 161 million? One-hundred-and-sixty-one million dollars is what I need in just six weeks,” he said.
“This week (last week), the Central Bank removed the peg that has held the naira at the official rate of 197 for the last 16 months, leading to a 30 per cent devaluation as the currency traded freely on the interbank market.”
“This devaluation alone, we have lost over 50 billion naira ($176 million),” he said.“The gas, which is our main source of power, is priced in dollars. If there is 40 per cent devaluation, your price will go up by 40 per cent. Every single aspect of the production will go up by that percentage,” he said.
Plus sized Nollywood actress, Eniola Badmus, can be described as one man mopol who does not have time to waste but to make more money as possible.
Her humour character has been earning her lots of accolades as she just finished a movie which was shot in London titled ‘Basira in London,’ and fans cannot wait to watch the actress as she showed another personality of herself.
While many will sure have issues working with some of their colleagues or producers in the industry, Eniola believes that there is nobody she cannot work it since she has the talent and it can bring her money from that producer.
In her words, “There is no nobody in Nollywood that I Eniola Badmus cannot work with” adding that what will make her reject a movie role from a producer will be “when I’m called to act nude, I will not.”
Damn! How well she’s rocking her new bald look, we must confess, we starting to fall in love with the look though. It’s nice to try something new once every blue moon.
The beautiful actress, Fathia Balogun who went bald for a movie recently, is seen here having a stunning make-over and of course, rocking her bald look like a true African queen!
The debate on who is the greatest artist in Africa is sure to draw blood from different quarters but with the many feats from Wizkid, a South African hip hop artist Cassper Nyovest is rooting for him. Not many people will agree with him but he has his reasons for saying so.
Nyovest is good in his genre and had sold out a 20,000 the dome last year. He is planning of filling a Dome with a double of that number.
He explains “Hip hop evolves and there’s a point where it get’s saturated so I feel like right now hop hop is looking for a new sound that’s why you ended up having Drake featuring Wizkid on a song. They’re always looking for new stuff”
He went on to say “Wizkid is like the biggest African artist and for another reason because like also, Nigerians are everywhere so by default Wizkid is the biggest African artist”
Meanwhile, Wizkid is set to release new material with American rap act French Montana, which was produced by Legendury Beatz.
He is also competing with other nominated African acts in the Best International Act Africa at the 2016 BET Awards.
Actress and businesswoman, Caroline Danjuma was a year older yesterday 26th of June, and to celebrate his colleague, Jim Iyke took to IG to share this sweet birthday message to her.
So, Yemi Fetch (Pictured Above) shared on Facebook how he was asked to stop being a worker in his church all because he refused to shave his beards.
Read Him Below:
“I was once rejected in church because of these beards of mine. Shave it or forget about being a worker” they said. As obstinate as I was, I knew I wasn’t going to let anyone define me by my look, so I left for good. You see, the church is an institution, and every institution has a system in place — a system of control.
Members are expected to devote themselves to the system and abide by the rules. But I hate rules.
I felt Christianity should guarantee freedom from discrimination. I was wrong. I expected too much.
The church is a place where you’re assessed before being assigned a seat, respect is based on social standing and you dare not open your mouth to question authority. But I’ve moved on.
After all, Jesus didn’t die so I could become a member of a church. So I say, to hell with the system they put in place to control minds.
To hell with their expectations of what a Christian should look like. To hell with religion. Yeah, sometimes I feel the need to enter a serene place for worship, especially when I need to converse with my soul.
It could be a mosque, church or even shrine….you see, the universe pays attention to the yearning of the soul without asking for religious affiliation. #Sundayschool
Here’s a photo from a Cote D’Ivorie University…It shows a professor pampering and backing a crying baby belonging to a mother who is writing an Examination!
Yemi Alade the slay queen is here! The singer rocked a bold Zuhair Murad piece from the brand’s Resort 2016 collection at the 2016 BET Awards.
The multi coloured dress featured perforated embellished bust detailing over flared A-line bottom in bold floral prints making a unique almost ball-like baby doll dress.
The singer who was nominated for the “Best International Act: Africa” styled the glitzy bold look with minimal make-up look paired with light pink lips and jewelry rocking her signature hairdo in dark ‘Bantu knots’.
Yemi Alade who is set to debut her collection from her ‘House Of Tangerine’ label for the first time at the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria 2016. She’s sure out to make her own style statement.
Model in Zuhair Murad piece piece from the Resort 2016 Collection (Zuhair Murad)
Top celebrities including Jennifer Lopez, Taylor Swift, Beyonce and more have being pictured in looks from the brand.
Money bag CEO of 5 Star Music, Emeka Okonkwo AKA E-Money, is known for his money spree galore that has been rocking the social media platforms of late.
Call him Mr. Flamboyant; E-Money lives in a gold-furnished mansion, owns fleets of cars and has a lot of money to throw around, even in the midst of the current economy in Nigeria.
He has been so much in the news for lavishing money, especially during public events. Earlier this week, he was sighted in a video footage showing his latest upgraded style of using a money gun spraying device. The money rain took place at a wedding reception of professional football player and Super Eagles member, Onazi Ogenyi.
E-Money launched his money gun in April, which helps him flaunt his riches easily. The multi-millionaire was first seen in his common act at the Quilox birthday party of Fuji icon, K1 D Ultimate. The second time was at the wedding reception of actor Mike Ezuruonye’s sister.
E-Money and His Family.
Surprisingly, other millionaires such as Dangote, Adenuga and Otedola, whose wealth have been around for a longer time, are yet to lavish money the way the 5 Star boss does. This leaves most people no option but to ask ‘what does E-money do for a living, aside managing 5 Star Music’.
In 2014, Vanguard described him as a billionaire, whose business stretches from real estate to the music industry. There should be more to that, as his extravagant lifestyle is second to none.
First of all, Emeka Okonkwo was born and raised in Ajegunle and is the younger brother of pop singer Kcee Limpopo. He is the official sponsor of Kcee’s music career plus that of Harrysong and Skiibii.
Emeka Okonkwo is also the head of a shipping company called Emmy Cargoes Nig. The company was established in 1997 and was formerly called Borisa Nig. Ltd. He is also into real estate as well as oil and gas, as stated earlier.
Unlike his elder brother, E-Money is married. He has three sons with his wife, Juliet, whom he’s been married to for six-year now. According to him, he met Juliet in 2003 when he was still struggling to make money and she was just what he was looking for – a God-fearing and non-materialistic woman.
In a nutshell, we really can not say for sure the secret of E-Money’s wealth or where the bulk of it comes from. However, we are aware that he has a lot of money and is ever ready to spend it.
Dear Female Readers, According to health experts, not me!! I’m not a perv! Health Experts…..They say what you wear to bed is impacting your health ‘down there’ and regardless of what the weather is doing outside, you should not be wearing underwear in bed.
Nancy Herta, M.D., an ob-gyn at Michigan State University told Glamour, if you’re prone to vaginal issues, you should reconsider.
“Between discharge and sweat, things tend to get moist down there, and underwear can trap that moisture, creating a breeding ground for bad bacteria.Allowing that area to get some air helps to keep it dry and clean” also telling the site how the va.gina takes better care of itself with some “breathing room”.
So, instead of tightly-fitted knickers, cotton pyjamas would work better – and make sure they’re loose-fitting too.
And if the idea of going n,aked doesn’t agree with you Dr Herta suggests
“loose-fitting cotton underwear, which can help absorb some of the moisture instead of keeping it right against you, like silk or lace does.”
Twenty-year-old Jumai Haruna spent the last two years in Sambisa forest, the stronghold of the extremist Islamic sect, Boko Haram. Four months ago, she was rescued by the security forces. She left the forest with a large scar from a bullet wound on her arm.
But as she spoke to a Punch correspondent, last week, at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Yola, Adamawa State.
The story that Haruna shared was a tale of rape, abuse, forced labour, torture and her forced marriage to one of the terrorists.
“I would never have married such a man but we were all forced to marry them or be killed,” she said with growing bitterness. “I lost a pregnancy for my original husband because of the condition of the place.” Haruna’s ‘original husband’ was the man she married shortly before she was captured by Boko Haram.
Two years in captivity with the insurgents have obviously taken its toll on Haruna. Frail, gaunt and listless, she looked at least 10 years older. She insisted that it was the pain inside of her that hurt the most.
“It is like cutting a baby with a knife, you can imagine the pain she would feel. We endured many difficult days. They fed us with raw maize, and at some point, we spent three days without food or water,” she told SUNDAY PUNCH.
‘Boko Haram baby’
Haruna’s tragic journey into captivity began in 2014 when she and other women were captured by Boko Haram fighters who attacked their village in Gwoza Local Government Area, in Borno State, North-East Nigeria.
As she shared the details of that journey, she kept looking down at the child she bore for Hamidu, her Boko Haram captor. The three weeks old baby slept peacefully in her arms.
When asked to speak about the abuses she suffered in Sambisa, Haruna said she did not want to talk about it. Her memories of her cohabitation with Hamidu are full of pain.
“As for this baby I carry now, it is destiny, but I don’t want to remember the past. I appreciate him because it is God that gave me the child. I love this child; I cannot do anything to change my destiny. So, I will take care of my boy child as my own,” she said.
Haruna is determined to bring up her son with much love and also ensure that he does not follow in the footsteps of his father. She vowed never to let her son know who his real father was.
She said,
“No, I cannot tell him that his real father is a member of Boko Haram. No, he would be disappointed and it would be a big blow to him. I will not allow that. I will prevent him from knowing. But I will love him.”
Interestingly, her original husband, who is based outside Borno, came visiting her at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Yola, a week before SUNDAY PUNCH was there. An official at the IDP camp told our correspondent they allowed Haruna’s husband to stay with her for a week.
She stated, “Yes, he came and spent a week with me. He said he is still in love with me, despite all that I went through and the forced marriage. He said he was still interested in me and would wait for me. He is a good man. He said that, like every good Muslim, he believed this was his destiny, and he had to accept it, whether it was good or bad. He said the fault was not the baby’s and he promised to take care of him as his own biological child.”
But there is a twist in her love story. Her husband’s younger brother is a Boko Haram member and was in Sambisa when she was captured.
“My real husband’s younger brother is part of Boko Haram,” she said, and mentioned the names of some other Boko Haram members she came to know. “I have given their names to the security agencies. He even told me that if he ever saw my husband, he would kill him.”
She said she felt no sympathy for Hamidu despite having had his child.
“Even those from the same village with me, if I know they are with Boko Haram, I would report them to the military; just like I would report him if I see him now. I want them (military) to kill him,” she added.
Like Haruna, 18-year-old Asta Abdullahi, also from Gwoza, was abducted and forcefully wedded to a Boko Haram member by the sect.
She said she and some of her friends were working in the farm when the terrorists swooped on their village, a few months after the kidnap of the 276 Chibok girls, 218 of whom remain missing.
“When they came into our village, they started shooting at everybody and everything. We ran, but they finally caught us inside the bush. We were about 18 in number, eight of us young girls, and 10 married women. They pushed us inside a big truck and took us to Sambisa,” she said.
Abdullahi said they were not the only girls or women there.
“We saw many women there, more than 200. Later, they threatened us that if we didn’t marry them we would all be killed. We had no choice; we did not want to die. Some girls managed to escape before me,” she said.
She said she later managed to trick her Boko Haram husband into following her to a nearby village.
Narrow escape
Haruna said,
“I saw some of the Chibok girls in Sambisa. They captured them before us. Some of them had already been impregnated. Some of them had given birth to children. The Boko Haram members kept them in a special place in Sambisa. Boko Haram members shared and sold the girls among themselves.”
When our correspondent asked how she knew they were the abducted girls from Chibok, Haruna said,
“It was the girls that said so themselves whenever they sat down (with other kidnapped women) and discussed with some of us. They confirmed it to us. Boko Haram members called Chibok girls and other girls or women they captured ‘Ganima.’” According to one of the officials at the camp, Ganima, loosely translated from the local Hausa language spoken in the North-East, means “spoils of war.”
She also said that, because Sambisa was a vast area, the insurgents gave names to different locations around it.
“They gave names to different places in Sambisa, names such as Gobara, Imsa, Sabluda, Jimia, and so on. The Chibok girls were scattered everywhere.”“They have their own medical team and makeshift clinic, a room, in Sambisa, where they get treated whenever they are injured from the battle with the army. The clinic was at Gobara. I have seen so many of the insurgents get injured. I saw more than 10 ‘doctors’ there. They mostly spoke Kanuri dialect.”
The next day, just before our correspondent left the IDP camp that sunny afternoon, Abdullahi’s parents showed up after several visits to different camps in search of their daughter.
Her mother, Azumi Alli, could not hide her emotions.
“I am very happy that I have seen one of my lost daughters. Two of them were missing. Before now, I had given up, thinking that my daughters were dead. Boko Haram killed my two boys and kidnapped my daughters. I want to thank the army for rescuing my daughter alive,” she told SUNDAY PUNCH.
Abdullahi’s father, Yusuf Alli, who is a member of a vigilance group in Madagali Local Government Area in Adamawa State, said,
“I am a hunter, and part of a vigilance group. I got information that my daughter was in this camp, so we came here. If I see the man who forced my daughter into marriage, I will kill him.”
Lionel Messi told reporters after Argentina’s Copa America Centenario final loss to Chile on penalty kicks that he is retiring from the national team. Sunday night, Messi said that after so many missed chances, he is ready to step away.
Messi was Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer during Copa America Centenario. He spoke out about problems with the Argentina football federation, but did not bring that up when he told reporters of his decision to quit international soccer.
He said:
“The national team is over for me. That’s four finals (lost), it’s not for me,” Messi told reporters after losing his third final in as many years. “It’s a made decision, I think.”
Argentina lost to Chile in penalty kicks on Sunday night.
Argentina lost to Chile in penalties in the 2015 Copa America and lost to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final. They also lost to Brazil in the 2007 final.
You may not know this, but there are a certain number of actions or non-actions that can sabotage your beauty if you’re not careful.
Even if you have the looks of a supermodel, if you do these things you’ll truly look ugly to the best of men.
So watch out for these and make sure that you don’t do them. Otherwise, when you meet your Prince Charming, you could be in danger of him actually seeing you as the evil witch.
These things will make you seem ugly to men
1. No sense of humor.
Most men love to laugh, and let’s face it: Guys who are funny are just more fun. But even guys who are serious most of the time want a gal with a great sense of humor.
So if you haven’t already, learn to laugh! Sometimes, all this means is loosening up a bit if you tend to be uptight.
2. Stinginess.
Do you fret about money and guard your own possessions with your life? Talk about old witch.
Being wise about your money is one thing (it’s good), but dividing your restaurant bill down to the penny and refusing romantic impromptu rides because it costs too much (how much can it cost?) is just too stingy.
On Wednesday June 8, concerned local residents called the police over suspicious activities by a 25-year-old Nigerian drug dealer in East Rand, South Africa.
Drug Enforcement Unit swooped into the area around 4am that morning after receiving a tip-off.
Police spokesperson Lieut-Col Wilfred Kgasago, said the metro police put the man under surveillance in the early hours of the morning – along Paul Smith Street where he plies his illicit trade.
At around 7.45am police confronted the suspect and found him in possession of drugs in block form, estimated to be worth R15 000 on the streets.
Along with the drugs – three cellphones and cash amounting to R160 were also confiscated from the suspect.
The 25-year-old Nigerian man was charged at the police station with possession and dealing in illicit substances and is expected to appear in court soon.
Off Naeto C’s 2015 album titled “Festival”, here is a remix to the 14th track titled “Soft”. The remix to the So Sick produced hip hop tune features Burna Boy and Phyno.
Listen Below and Share Your Comment About This Jam!!
So, one of my favourite Instagram Comedian, Klinton Cod sparked an apparent outrage when he shared a video of himself and a friend mocking black girls on snapchat!
In what looked like a house party, Klinton who is based in the UK asked his friend, Bruno, his thoughts on black girls and his friend replied: “F*** black girls.” Klinton laughed, and so did a white girl with them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EltFBjwF9g8
Trust Nigerians to pounce on him…Many thought he was drunk perhaps he had no idea of what he was doing or saying that moment..While others felt it’s so rude, due to the fact he is black….and it’s obvious his mother is black too.
Klinton has since issued an apology to all black women:
Guys I’m sure you have all seen the instablog post. I’m deeply sorry about that video. Those opinions are not my sincere opinions. I was born and brought up in Nigeria around all kinds of beautiful black women.
I have a black Mother, sister nd relatives, how can I not appreciate them? I assure you that I’m not racist in anyway and I do not have any bias towards black women. I’m deeply sorry about that video and I’m sincerely apologizing to anyone offended by it.
I recognize that I should be more careful with the kind of words I put out there and I promise to uphold your standards.
Yours,
Klintoncod
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi and his wife Olori Wuraola attended the Caribbean & African International Awards Gala held in Maryland, USA.
The Lagos State Police Command says 6 persons and not fifty were killed during the militant invasion in Igbolomu and Ishawo areas of Ikorodu last Friday June 24th.
Addressing newsmen in Lagos yesterday June 24th, the Lagos state Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, said the command has commenced an aggressive manhunt for the suspected militants.
The gunmen, who were alleged to be from the Niger Delta, were said to have come in through the waterways close to the communities and started shooting sporadically, a development which led to the death of some people while others sustained various degree of injuries.
Owoseni, who was personally at the scene of the incident moments after the attack, said the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Owutu responded with his men almost immediately after he was alerted, adding that mobile policemen were swiftly deployed to be patrolling the affected areas.
“The DPO in Owutu went to Igbolomu and the surrounding communities and as of the time he got there, he saw everybody running in panic and it could be maybe because of that immediate response the militants had fled the place and while moving round, he later found six corpses of the people that were killed and the police took over those corpses out of which two were immediately released to their families who said they want to go and bury according to Islamic rights, while we took the remaining four to the morgue. That was how we covered that place until we got support and reinforcement from the Nigerian Army who came to stay with us. I can confirm that the causality is six and no family till now has come out even while I was there to say that they have extra corpses apart from the ones that were recovered by the police in Owutu that immediately went to that place when the incident happened” the CP said.
Owoseni said before now, the police had been making arrests in the areas, while the militants who committed the latest atrocity were being hunted, expressing optimism that they would soon be apprehended.
“What people must know is that this is not an investigation or operation that you can just say one plus one. The guys are taking advantage of the creeks. They hit and run to the creeks and also use the wee hours in the night to carry out that operation. Anywhere in the world, the military and police hardly operate in the night and so they have been taking advantage of that and that is why we have now emplaced a permanent standby points in all the four areas that we have identified as where they are coming from,” Owoseni said.
He added that the occupation of the standby points would be sustained by security forces, while a permanent solution would be found to the impunity that was being carried out by the pipeline vandals
Today, Sunday June 26, 2016, Nigerian Professional football..and unarguably one of Nigeria’s Finest Defender, Taye Taiwo and His beautiful wife are celebrating their 12th year wedding anniversary.
The footballer took to his instagram page to shower loving words on his wife. He wrote:
“It doesn’t matter whether it is our first, fifth,tenth or fifteenth anniversary. What matters is that I Will always love you and will always love me . Our house would never have become a home without you. Our kids would never have understood the meaning of family without you.
I would have never experienced love without you.if a genie came to me and granted me a Few wishes,it would be a complete Waste .
Because with you by my side l already have everything I could ever ask for. We ,ve come a long way Since we met each other for the the first Time. Happy moments,sad times nasty fight and crazy Misunderstanding- we’ve been Through it all.
I have no regrets and even if had the chance of doing it all again,I’d do it the extra same way and with no one else but you.
The gift that I got for you on our anniversary, is insignificant in front of how you have given me a Meaningful life and a loving family Some husbands dedicated songs, Some dedicated a Facebook page and Some dedicated gifts to their wives on a wedding anniversary.
I have kept it Simple and dedicated my whole life to you , Sweetheart. Happy anniversary.
While some of them still call it funny names like “wussup” and “was app”, we don’t mind really.
So far, we have a way to communicate with them without burning airtime, we’re fine Now, they are very active sending broadcasts, drilling you about display picture changes and status updates and the likes.
Sometimes, they’re actually fun but sometimes they’ve made us laugh uncontrollably!
Here are a few times the former has happened:
1. This one where the mother forgot it was a private chat
Celebrity marriages around the world are fraught with challenges and various degrees of scrutiny, and with every other day comes increasing pressure on couples in mainstream media.
It is as a result of this that people say celebrity marriages are three times as hard as ordinary unions, given the extreme conditions such relationships are exposed to.
Whatever the case, Tunde and Wunmi Obe are two people in Nigerian entertainment whose relationship has remained a source of inspiration to millions of fans, critics and fellow celebrities alike.
They have been together for decades with hardly a negative or controversial story about their respective brand names, quite a feat in a volatile industry as entertainment.
Tunde and Wunmi Obe also known as T.W.O. are a respected couple in the Nigerian entertainment industry.
They have recorded several albums as well as influenced a large audience with their sounds across various demographics.
In a 2015 interview with Premium Times, the couple distanced themselves from couple quarrels and everything close to this.
They maintained that there will be no such thing as a split of their marriage for any reasons, even though as a publicity stunt.
Today, Sunday, June 26, 2016, makes it 18 years since they’ve been married and as their union continues to weather various storms in its wake, we wishe them all the best in health of mind and body.
Comedian, Patrick Onyeke, who is popularly known as Mr Patrick and his wife, Tammy, an American accountant, share their love story
How did you meet your husband?
Tammy: We met in South Africa. I was there to attend a convention. While I was there, a colleague asked me to accompany her to a comedy show. At the time, I had no idea who the comedians billed to perform were. Patrick came on stage soon after we arrived the venue. I loved his performance and I began to scream out of excitement. I was glad to see him and told my friend that I had always wanted to meet him. She then met with one of his friends who introduced us.
Did you spot her while you were on stage?
Patrick: No, I didn’t but immediately we were introduced, I fell in love with her warm personality and beauty. We exchanged telephone numbers and have remained inseparable ever since.
Was it love at first sight?
Tammy: Yes, it was. I had always wanted to meet and get married to an African man. So, when I saw him, I just fell in love with him. He has the sweetest smile I have ever seen; he is an amazing man.
Where you single and searching at the time?
Patrick: Yes, I was and I’m glad that we met.
Tammy: I wasn’t looking to getting married when we began dating. I was looking for love and I felt that we would only consider marriage after dating for about four years. In America, people tend to date a lot longer but I guess in Africa, couples get married really quick. God revealed to me that he is my soulmate and was going to be my husband.
How did he propose?
Tammy: We were on an Island for a video shoot and I realised that he had a phobia for water and boats. I was used to being on a boat, as I own one. On our way back, our boat was struck by a strong wave, which caused him to panic. At that moment,he asked the rider to stop the boat. He got down on his knees and proposed to me even though he was already a nervous wreck. He really surprised; we courted for almost a year before we married.
Patrick: I proposed to her when I realised that I was already in love with her. We both have similar thought patterns and actions. These factors made me deduce that we are actually compatible.
Yours is a long-distance marriage. How do you both manage to get by?
Tammy: Sometimes, it gets hard but whenever we are together, we are inseparable. We talk everyday, then we video call each other at least four times a week. We both lead busy lives because of our careers, so it makes things a lot safer. The manner we talk and send messages to each other makes it seem as though we are right next to each other.
Did you deliberately set out to marry a foreigner?
Patrick: I belong to the new generation of Igbo men who aren’t too keen on the tribe or race of a woman.Ours is a classic case of destiny because neither of us made a deliberate effort to get married to each other. I guess time and chance happened to us.
How did you react to the snide remarks that trailed your marriage to an American?
Patrick: People complained, but we have overcome all of that.
Tammy: I was nervous when I arrived Nigeria for the first time because I had been told all sorts of horror stories. When I stepped out of the plane and eventually out of the airport, my life felt at peace for the first time. I had never felt a sense of peace before that time.
Did you have the blessings of your parents from the outset?
Tammy: His family is wonderful; his mother took an instant liking to me and we prayed together when we met for the first time. His folks took me around their home, church, and showed me around. They welcomed me with open arms. My mum is very happy for me because she sees how happy I am and how genuine Patrick is. My husband is wonderful man.
Patrick: Our families are very cordial and my wife is adapting quite fast to the Nigerian culture. She is learning to cook our traditional delicacies, whilst also learning my language. I am also learning the American culture even though they are not as culturally oriented as we are in Nigeria.
In what ways do you contribute to the advancement of each other’s career?
Patrick: I introduced her to some banking professionals here in Nigeria and they have done some business together and this has earned her more clients.
Tammy: My husband doesn’t ask for money; he is not that type of guy. Even if he needs something, he wouldn’t ask. He does quite well in that aspect. I am preparing for when he will visit me in the USA, so that we will have a home over here and in Nigeria. With my contacts, I will introduce him to established comedians here in America and have shows fully booked down for him. Everyday, I send him prayers to encourage him because as his wife, I am expected to be his backbone. He appreciates that because it keeps him going.
Who apologises first after a disagreement?
Tammy: We haven’t really gotten into any arguments but if we get into one, I would probably be the first to apologise. I don’t ever want to see him angry and that is also not my wish for this union.
How do you keep admirers at bay?
Patrick: Marriage is still a learning curve for us. I have also made her understand that fake scandals might always arise because I am a celebrity. I have made her understand the dictates of my job, so she can understand my status better.
Is trust ever an issue?
Patrick: She tells me when men make passes at her. We are able to manage such scenarios because we understand that our careers involve us interacting with other people.
Did you have any fear at any point in your relationship?
Tammy: I never did. I told my mum that if it came down to it I would actually live in Nigeria full-time. I love my career but I would be open to being a housewife.
Some celebrities are of the opinion that marriage stalls their career…
Patrick: The Bible said he that finds a wife has found a good thing. There are a lot of blessings attached to marriage. You may not know it but it’s a phase in life you can’t run away from.
What is the secret behind the success of your marriage?
Patrick: We keep our marriage off social media so we don’t attract undue attention. Some people think I married her because of the American Green Card and they have been telling her so. I told her that she met me in this business as a star and not as a hungry man. I have travelled to different parts of the world but Nigeria is still a better place to live in.
Do you both have access to each other’s social media accounts?
Patrick: We follow each other on social media but we don’t have access each other’s accounts because that is private.
The identified as Nneka Anyachebelu, gave birth to an autistic son 18 years ago and thought her life had caved in with misery.
According to Nneka Anyachebelu, when her son was born with autism, she thought her world was in shambles as she was made to pay extra attention to certain things she had not been prepared for. She had admittedly prayed for her son to die, to escape her reality and misery.
However, 18 years down the line, her story has changed from one of sorrow and regret, to joy and happiness as well as gratitude.
Below is what she had to say about her touching story:
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I PRAYED FOR HIM TO DIE. Don’t judge me, wait until you hear me out.
He was a healthy awesome child when I had him but by age 2 we noticed there was something wrong. There was no eye contact, he could not talk, didn’t understand instructions, and so many other bad vibes.
That was when my nightmare started.
I ran from pillar to post seeking solution. In some places they said he was partially deaf at others they said it was Autism. Up until then I never heard the word Autism. The information I got about it was My life stood still. No school would take him in as he couldn’t settle.
Finally and luckily an Indian lady with a nursery school took him in, but my heart broke the day I went to pick him up from school and asked her politely how he was doing. Her response was “i don’t know what to do with him i’m just a teacher not a psychiatrist”. I cried all the way home. Thoughts bombarded my mind. Worst of all there was no answer to the tormenting thoughts.
An only son, Autism, was it generational or the devil? No answer! Up until then I was having a swell time living my life to the fullest… But with this dilemma I crawled to God. I attended every Christian gathering, crusade, vigils, just name it. I prayed, prayed, cried, fasted, sowed seeds but nothing happened.
The years went by and it seemingly got worse. People were beginning to notice there was a problem I couldn’t hide it any more. (By the way, don’t try hiding your shame if God doesn’t hide it you can’t hide it) My husband was tired. My mother who was perpetually encouraging me was tired, I was tired, exhausted and tired of casting, binding, fighting and faithing it, so I prayed for Him to die so I could move on with my life. (I wanted a short cut) He didn’t die instead he grew.
Seeing God wasn’t ready to take him I went back to God again in prayer, I repented and continued from where I stopped. Running from pillar to post, church to church.
At one church I was told to go on one week dry fast with consistent midnight prayers. At midnight when I came down to pray I was usually afraid. One night as I came down for the prayer routine, I heard a voice say to me how can you be praying and afraid. You are afraid because you do not know the God you are praying to. At that point I packed up and went on a quest to know this GOD! I stayed alone for 2 weeks with only one prayer point. ( God if you are real let me know you.). I spent more time within those weeks studying the Word of God, and through the pages of the Bible I came to know this GOD.
After that 2 weeks of word immersion I had peace like I never had since the ordeal started. The burden for my son to speak or get normal left me. I was just at peace with God and the World.
About 3 weeks later we travelled to England on Holiday. We were in a shop on Oxford street when my son that had never spoken came to me tapped me and asked me a question.
His first words to me were “where is kamsy?” He was asking for His older sister. That was how my son started talking. One thing led to another; he started doing things he couldn’t do and like magic caught up with his age mates. It was like Magic! No, Miracle.!
Today I celebrate God as He turns 18. There is nothing we don’t talk about now. From his school work to the girls that like him and the ones he likes, lol..
Sometimes I even scold him that he talks too much, correcting him that as a gentleman he shouldn’t talk much. How we so quickly forget…smh…I can’t thank God enough for him.
Through my trial with him, I was reconnected back to God, I found my purpose in life, and my ministry was birthed. (That is another story for another day).
I encourage you today in your own trial to fight on. No short cut. God has not disappeared, take your eyes off your problem (if you can) seek him and he will do the needful plus much more i’m still praying… during my prayers today, I PRAYED FOR HIM TO LIVE AND SHOW FORTH THE GLORY OF GOD.
Off Naeto C’s 2015 album titled “Festival”, here is a remix to the 14th track titled “Soft”. The remix to the So Sick produced hip hop tune features Burna Boy and Phyno.
