FRANK LAMPARD has given a graphic insight into the interim rule of Rafa Benitez at Chelsea.

The Blues’ record scorer has spoken candidly about his relationship with the departing Stamford Bridge boss.
Lampard admits he endured a DIFFICULT six months working alongside the former Liverpool manager.
In an exclusive SunSport interview, Lampard revealed: “There are certain managers you build relationships with and feel closer to. He’s not that kind of bloke.
“Other managers draw a bit of a line and keep it that way. Rafa’s more like that.
“He was not really the sort of manager you could sit and talk with.
“We had a couple of conversations about my future in which he was quite honest saying that he wasn’t really involved.
“So that’s where that conversation ends.
“He’s not a manager who goes round putting his arm around every player — and I’m not saying that’s wrong.
“There are a lot of managers like that, Fabio Capello was like that with England.”

Lampard admitted Benitez did work hard to try to rescue Chelsea’s season after he was appointed interim boss last November.
The England star said: “He’s a professional bloke. He prepared very well for games.
“And it was a difficult situation for him as well. As interim manager it was always going to be quite difficult because we all knew it was only to the end of the season.
“So there was no planning, no long-term relationships were going to be built. So, in that respect, he did a good job because we got the end result — success.”
Benitez guided Chelsea to the Europa League crown and a top three finish, ensuring Champions League action next term.
But he will leave Blues after this week’s post-season American tour.
And there’s no doubting what Lampard wants now — the return of the Special One.
He declared: “Jose Mourinho’s the best manager I’ve worked with, I hope he comes.”


JOSE MOURINHO may be closing in on his second coming at Chelsea.

But the real Special One is off to Old Trafford.
When Alex Ferguson shocked the world by calling it a day, there were plenty of Manchester United fans who felt Mourinho was the only man big enough to fill his boots.
Yet in David Moyes, United’s top brass have gone for a man with his own brand of stardust.
And Phil Neville, who has spent longer playing under both Fergie and his replacement than anyone in football, reckons the Red Devils could not have made a better choice.
Neville followed a decade winning silverware at United with eight years with Moyes at Everton, before leaving Goodison at the weekend.
And the ex-England defender is adamant Moyes is far better suited to his new role than Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti or any other top-line European gaffer.
Neville insisted: “David Moyes is the best candidate, 100 per cent. You can put him alongside any coach in the world for that job and he is the best candidate.
“He’s not at United for two or three seasons. If Mourinho came to Man United you’d think, with his track record, that in maybe three seasons he’d be gone.

“People talk about Mourinho being the Special One but the gaffer has something special about him in his own way. United are looking at the next 20 years. They’ve just given Moyes a six-year contract, and he’s probably going to be there for the rest of his managerial career. It’s that kind of club.
“They invest in a certain kind of manager and that’s why he’s the best man for the job.
“There’s no one else they could have invested in who would offer the same longevity as the previous manager.

“He keeps producing. Every season at Everton. People would say he’s going to get stale and the club will finish in the bottom half but that never happens.
“He sucks everything out of everyone. That shows you he’s got something. Of course the pressure will always be there and he’ll have to win games and trophies — but he’ll do that.”
Moyes, 50, stuck his neck out by signing Neville, with sceptical Blues fans wondering just how committed he would be after life at United.
The now former Goodison chief then went further by appointing him skipper, another decision which proved spot on.

For his part, Neville could not believe he had gone to work for a man just as driven as Fergie.
He added: “I never thought anyone could work harder than Alex Ferguson so when people asked me for comparisons I always said the biggest is how hard they work.

“It amazes me the number of games he goes to. We’d have a game in London, get home and then he’s off again to watch a game in Birmingham or somewhere. It’s that work ethic that has got him to United.”
Neville himself could yet follow Moyes to Old Trafford, as part of his backroom team, while he is still pitching for the Everton job.

Stoke muddied the waters with a coaching offer before Tony Pulis left.
The only thing for certain is he will one day move into management.
Neville, 36, admitted: “I’ve been writing things down for the last five years — talks, manager’s team meetings, training sessions, whatever. You either have it or don’t. It’s something that inspires me. When I went away with the England Under-21s and I was in meetings with other coaches, I didn’t want them to end.

“I’ve got files for the last three pre-seasons. That’s something I can look back on. It’s part of learning. If someone came to me now and said, ‘Put a session on for directional play’, I’ve got it.
“Football is my life. I was doing a lot of things at 19 that the sports scientists of today are saying are revolutionary.

“I had an ankle operation at 19 and realised then the strength of prehabilitation, which is going into the gym beforehand and doing strength work afterwards.
“No one else was in the gym at that age, but every single day before training I was there.
“I’ve learned what it takes to be a top boss. There’s no secret formula — it’s just hard work.”


Apparently, if you had told Blessing Ikhumhi that Okosun Cyril, the man she really loved, would turn around and bath her with acid, she would not have believed it. Neighbours and friends used to see the duo as Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’. But they were wrong. Even Blessing once saw him as “the best thing that could ever happen to her,” because she never believed the words of William Shakespeare, which asserts that, “there are daggers in men’s smile.” Their romance turned sour with tragic consequence for Blessing, a 23-year-old student of Edo State School of Health Technology. If she would ever regain her sight she would see all men as “monsters” because she has seen “hell” in the last three months as a patient at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Benin City. Doctors in the hospital believe she may never see again except she is flown to a specialist hospital in India, where her sight could be restored. Blessing’s story is a sad one. Her ordeal began when she told his boyfriend, who is now in police custody in Benin, that she was no longer interested in what she described as “uninspiring relationship.” The news did not go down well with him. He visited her house and asked for a talk.


The victim had gone outside to meet with the man whom she thought might have come to settle with her and probably, persuade her to continue in the relationship, but to Blessing’s shock, she was bathed with acid. From that fateful day, she has seized to see and has been on admission at the UBTH. “He was my boyfriend and we had arguments in February. He beat me to the extent that I was not able to go to school for three days. I told him I was no longer interested in the relationship. He later tried to forcibly take my telephone, but I refused to give it to him. I told him he was not the one who bought it for me.” “On March 23, he called and asked me to meet him in front of our house. I refused initially, but he insisted, so I came out. He asked: “Do you mean you don’t want me again?” I said: “No! I was no more interested in the relationship. And immediately, he poured the acid on my face. Since that day, I have been on admission at the UBTH and the doctors say I might not see again except I am flown to India where my eyes could be restored. “ She noted that Cyril was the last person she expected to treat her so badly. “I never knew he would have the heart to pour acid on me. I made a mistake. I have learnt the biggest lesson of my life. My prayer now is that God should touch kind-hearted Nigerians to come to my aide so that I would be able to get treatment abroad, since my parents cannot afford it.” Ikhumhi, a native of Fugar, Etsako Local Council of Edo State, has pleaded with public-spirited Nigerians to come to her aid. Domestic violence has been on the increase nowadays as aggrieved lovers have been pouring acid on their estranged partners. In March 2010, Oluwatoyin Safiu Morufu, from Oyo State, was reportedly bathed with acid by his wife of over 16 years, Uloma Beatrice, from Abia State. In 2011, a suspect, Samson Igbinomewahin, 47, was arraigned at an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate‘s Court, Lagos, for allegedly pouring acid on his wife, Mrs. Susan Jeremiah, 31. Also, a 35-year-old man, Ndubisi Okoro in 2011 allegedly bathed his wife, Anthonia, with acid. He was arraigned before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, charged with attempted murder. In November 10, 2012, a jilted man in Ikotun, an outskirt of Lagos, bathed his wife with acid. Men of Ikotun Police Division immediately arrested him. The list keeps rising everyday as acid bath has become a weapon of revenge.
The 2013 Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria has decided to come out and address the rumors that she is involved in a relationship with Deputy Speaker, House of Reps, Hon Emeka Ihedioha. 



Below is what she said in a recent interview:
"As an MBGN winner, there will always be stories about one thing or the other. It's a normal thing. The story is hilarious and not true. People should learn to get their facts right. These people actually do not have names or faces. At first, it was the story of how I lied about my age, then came the dethronement story. Now this! Where were these people when I went for MBGN twice and finished top 10 and won best traditional costume award? And in 2012, with determination and persistence, I won and people who were obviously not happy about my victory cooked up stories. I can't bother about what people say because some people are just on this earth to talk about others.
After years of perfectly posing in cleavage baring pictures for lingerie giant Victoria's Secret it seems somewhat ironic that Miranda Kerr accidentally reveals her breasts when shooting for a make-up range. 



The 30-year-old model had perhaps unwisely decided to go without a bra on the windy shoot in Miami.
Mother-of-one Miranda was simply wearing a black off the shoulder jumper for the shoot when a gust of wind meant her chest was exposed to the whole crew.
Miranda set about creating her range because she was unable to find organic skincare anywhere in the beauty market.

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As the military offensive to dismantle Boko Haram terrorists activities and the camps in North East Nigeria continues, President Goodluck Jonathan has directed the release from Police, SSS and Military detention centers, of hundreds of persons held in connection with the insurgency.


The action of the President which took many Nigerians and security agencies by surprise is however interpreted by presidency sources as the ‘Carrot and Stick’ policy by the Commander in Chief to bringing an end to the Boko Haram debacle.


Vanguard gathered that the beneficiaries will cut across such states as Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe and Niger, though the exact number was not revealed.
The federal government however explained that the decision to order the release is sequel to the request of the Presidential Committee in Dialogue and Reconciliation set up to explore the possibility of amnesty for converted terrorists.

A statement to that effect signed by the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade said, “Consequent upon the directives of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Defence Headquarters will be releasing from detention a number of persons being held in connection with terrorist activities”.
“The move is in furtherance of the Federal Government position in response to requests by the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Reconciliation”.

“The measure which is in line with Presidential magnanimity to enhance peace efforts in the country will result in freedom for suspects including all women under custody”.
“The details of the directives and those to benefit from this gesture have been communicated to field units and the Joint Task Force”.
“The beneficiaries will be released to the State Governors who will be involved in further rehabilitation before these suspects are released to their respective community leaders/relations”.
The Ghanaian Police on Tuesday in Accra directed the Synagogue Church to stop hosting worship sessions at its Spintex Road church for security reasons.



The police ordered the church to relocate to a more convenient venue.
Accra Regional Police Commander, Mr Christian Yehonu, said in a statement that the recent tragedy in the church could have been avoided if the church had been located at a bigger worship centre.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that a stampede that occurred at the church premises on Sunday May 19 led to the death of four persons while several others were injured.
Emotions ran high, Tuesday, at Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, following startling revelations by suspected members of three syndicates, who specialised in selling human parts to herbalists and persons suspected to be clerics.



The suspects told a bewildered crowd that human heads were sold for N8,000; hands, N4,000 and private parts N10,000.
One of them, Agboola Kolawole, who blamed his indulgence on poverty and inability to pay his children’s school fees, disclosed that he had so far sold four heads of his deceased siblings to a herbalist, who in turn sold to some persons they identified simply as Alhajis.

The Alhajis, as gathered, offered to pay one of the suspects N40,000 to get a live human being, only for the suspect, Sanni Kazeem, to be apprehended during his search for prey.
Recovered from one of the arrested herbalists, identified as Ajibade Rafiu (40), who the suspects said they supply with the human parts, was a dried human finger suspected to be that of a lady, and a concoction, which he said was made from ground human head mixed with local gin.
The concoction, according to Rafiu, was to fortify him against spiritual attack.
Arrest, confession
Their arrest, according to the Command’s spokesperson, Ngozi Braide, followed a tip-off from the officer-in-charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, Abba Kyari, that one of the suspects, Jamiu Adeleke, was at the verge of selling a human hand for N21,000.

The operatives, according to Braide, who paraded the suspects before newsmen, stormed Owode town, Ogun State, where Adeleke was arrested while attempting to sell the human hand to a buyer.
She said: “Adeleke confessed that one Sanni Kazeem sold it to him for N6,000. When Sanni was arrested, he also confessed to the crime, adding that he had supplied two human heads to a dealer named Akinwowo Fatai (30), who was also arrested.
Akinwowo, on his part, confessed to have received the human heads and another four human heads from another supplier, one Agboola Kolawole (40), who was later arrested in the same Owode town.”
Sources of ‘goods’
“Kolawole confessed that he cut the heads of his two late brothers and two late sisters buried in private graves in their compound and sold them for N8,000 each. The final buyer/receiver, one Ajibade Rafiu (30), a herbalist, was also arrested.

“During interrogation, the suppliers said they got their human parts from various grave yards in Ogun State, while the middlemen doubled the prices and sell to the herbalist, who is the end user.
“Sanni Kazeem also confessed that two popular Alhajis in the same Owode town had bought one head from him before and also requested for a live human being for N40,000.”
She added that the first suspect arrested, Adeleke, jumped out of a moving vehicle in his attempt to escape and sustained fatal injuries, which later resulted in his death, adding that effort was still on to arrest others indicted in the business.
‘Am in it for school fees’

One of the suspects, Agboola Kolawole, said: “Yes, I sold my dead siblings parts for N8,000 each. I was tempted to do that because of poverty and inability to pay my children’s school fees.
“Just as I was thinking of how to pay their school fees, a friend approached me and asked why I should be suffering when there was a way out. When I asked how, he said I should go and get some human parts that he would pay me.

“That was how I went to my late brother’s grave at night, exhumed the bodies of two of them and cut off the heads.
“When I took them to the friend, he gave me N16,000 and told me to get him four hands. This time around, I went to my late sisters graves and cut off their hands. I was paid N8,000 for a set of hands.”
‘I was offered N40,000 to get a human being’

Kazeem Sanni said he usually went to cemeteries to exhume dead bodies and cut off the needed parts.
He said: “The cemetery I usually frequent is CMS. I usually go there at night when the guards would have slept.
“I sell skull for N8,000 to Alpha Jamiu (Muslim cleric). So far, I have gone to the cemetery thrice to cut off human parts.

“Two weeks ago, he called to say that his clients needed a human being, promising to pay me N40,000. When I asked him how that was possible, he said he would give me a charm that would hypnotise the victim to facilitate his/her abduction.
“I told him I would think about it. But I never went back to him again because I felt I could not do that.”
However, it was gathered that Alpha Jamiu, the middleman, pays the supplier N8,000 but sells the parts thrice the amount to end users.

The herbalist, Ajibade Rafiu, told journalists that he bought a human head for N8,000, with an intention to prepare a fortification concoction for himself.
He said: “I burnt the human head and later ground it, poured it inside a plastic and added local gin and other roots. I prepared the concoction for myself.
“It is to fortify me against any attack because in this job if you are not fortified people may attempt to throw spiritual arrows at you. But with this, if anybody tries it, it will backfire.”
French police have charged seven men with removing a child from her parents’ care, after a 15-year-old convert to Islam, whose father is British, left home after "marrying" a 28-year-old Muslim man "over the phone".

A 15-year-old, burqa-wearing Muslim convert fled her home in Mulhouse, near Strasbourg, to join her 28 year-old husband, whom she married "over the phone."

The charges were brought after an investigation by police in the eastern French town of Mulhouse into a shady online scheme which put Muslim men in contact with young girls, who are newly-converted to Islam.
After being introduced, the men then "marry" the young girls online and over the phone.
The scheme came to light earlier this month after a 15-year-old girl, whose father is British, ran away from home to live with an older Muslim man.

The girl had recently converted to Islam, along with three girlfriends, aged 17, 18 and 19, without her Christian parents' knowledge after frequenting social network internet sites.
Her father informed local prosecutor Hervé Robin that his teenage daughter began wearing a burqa and voicing extreme Islamist views.

Robin told regional newspaper that the teenager claimed to have married the 28-year-old "over the phone" .
On May 6th, the girl’s father called police, alerting them to the fact that his daughter appeared to have run away.
Using a signal from the 28-year-old suspect’s mobile phone, police were able to geolocate him in Valence, 500km away in the Drome department of central France, along with his new teenage "wife."
The girl, who told investigators this was her second marriage, after being denounced and rejected by her first husband, has since returned home to live with her parents in Mulhouse, while prosecutors carry out their investigation.

Her "husband", himself a convert to Islam, has been remanded in custody in Mulhouse, a town 100 km from Strasbourg and next to the Swiss border.
Among the seven being held is a man from Moulins, central France, who is suspected of being the ringleader of the scheme.
A group of men attacked a woman who was dressed in a mini skirt. 


The men attacked the woman claiming that she was dressed inappropriately. The woman was spotted walking on the street in Kitengela, a town in Kenya.

The angry mob claimed the dress was too short. They argued with the woman to change into something more appropriate. When the woman ignored their request the men attacked her and undressed her.
The men then ripped her clothing apart so she could not put them back on, claiming that " it was better for her to go naked because her intentions were clear," according to press reports in Kenya.
According to a witness, the crowd gathered around the woman and forcibly undressed her. Her clothes were torn and thrown away ensuring that she had nothing to cover her body as a punishment for dressing provocatively.
"Most women in the town of Kitengela, dress modestly, and everyone is expected to adhere to their standards," Aminah Wangai, 62, said.

Many people gathered to watch as the drama unfolded.
The woman was left on the floor with nothing to cover her body. A Good Samaritan who witnessed the incident offered the woman a long dress so she could go home.
The victim's mothers was warned not to let her daughter leave the house without her approval, according to press reports in Kenya.
Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, on Tuesday said the war against corruption could not be won with the current set of criminal laws in the country.


Waziri said the criminal laws, most of which were inherited from the colonial masters, were no longer relevant.
She spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of a book, Law of Evidence in Nigeria, written by Chief Sebastine Hon, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The ex-EFCC boss urged the National Assembly to repeal the current set of criminal laws and enact new, more effective ones.
She said, “It is a notorious fact that the corruption is being fought partly with archaic laws, the laws that are no longer suitable for the unpleasant situation we have found ourselves.

“At the time most of our laws were being enacted by the colonial masters, nobody envisaged cyber crime; nobody envisaged Internet fraud and nobody even envisaged manipulation of computer to defraud because those things were not there at the time.
“I use this singular opportunity to call on our members of the National Assembly to rise to the challenge.“They should give us potent laws that can confront corruption and corrupt tendencies headlong.
“We must not shy away and we must not spare any effort to review and reform our laws to suit our present purposes.

“I charge our legal practitioners too to be concerned with the nation’s archaic laws and no effort should be spared to ensure that the laws are periodically reviewed and updated to meet the demands of the present age and developments.”
The troops deployed to flush out Boko Haram insurgents from Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, yesterday, encountered intense resistance from sect members who were armed with sophisticated weapons from Libya.

 
This came as the National Assembly, yesterday, endorsed the proclamation of a state of emergency in the three states by President Goodluck Jonathan.
A senior military official told The Guardian of London that “they (Islamist militants) have been putting up fierce resistance and they are very, very well-armed with weapons from Libya.” He said most of the militants who have waged a bloody four-year battle to create an Islamist state had scattered across the semi-desert borders.

A renewed military campaign, including aerial bombardments of Boko Haram training camps in the three states declared under emergency rule this month, has led to the capture of almost 200 militants and the death of dozens in a week, according to the military. In one raid, a helicopter gunship was hit by anti-aircraft and anti-tank fire, a military source said.
However, a resident of the besieged states said:“It’s only by the goodwill of soldiers and by virtue of my position that I was able to leave the city. All the entry points to and from Maiduguri are blocked by the military but they let me through.”

Outside the city walls, he said, trucks carrying food and market produce were lined up awaiting entrance.
“We have been used to seeing soldiers and checkpoints for the past two years in Maiduguri, but it is having a real impact on the economic activity,” he added.

In Maiduguri, where militants are deeply enmeshed in the population, soldiers carrying out house-to-house searches after placing a 24-hour curfew in some neighbourhoods discovered stockpiles of weapons including rocket-propelled grenades, a defence spokesperson said.
After weeks of bloody conflict between Fulani herdsmen and Benue farmers, nine of the suspected Fulani mercenaries have been arrested and arraigned before a Makurdi Chief Magistrate Court.

 
The suspects, who were apprehended at Gbajimba in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State by officers of the Special Forces Squad of the 72 Battalion, Makurdi, were arraigned yesterday and charged with culpable homicide and causing mischief by fire.

Parading the suspects before the court, Police Prosecutor, Sgt. Patrick Sunday, told the court that the accused persons were arrested in Gbajimba on May 6 by the military personnel, who handed them over to the police.
According to him, the army officers told the police that they received reports that some Fulani mercenaries had attacked some villagers in Guma council, killing and burning the houses of their victims.

He explained that following the report, the army officers rushed to the area where they arrested the accused and also recovered three locally-made pistols and four live ammunition in their possession.
The army officers, the prosecutor further stated discovered four yet-to-be identified corpses of their victims at the scene of the attack.
At the hearing, the accused persons told the court that they came to Benue State from neighbouring Bassa in Nasarawa State.

However, no plea was taken for want of jurisdiction, while Police prosecutor asked for an adjournment of the case pending the completion of Police investigations into the matter.
In her ruling, presiding Chief Magistrate, Mrs. Cecilia Tsumba, ordered that the accused be remanded at the Makurdi prison and adjourned the case to the June 11 June for further mention.
A Kenyan man burnt his wife for being too beautiful after being married for more than two years.
John claims he abused his wife because she would cheat on him on several occasions, an accusation Janet denied saying it was him who broke the marriage with his infidelity.

The victim of the domestic violence, Janet Mwihaki, a citizen of Kenya met her fate after giving birth to their third son in 2005.


Joshua is a top model in Bayelsa. The 21-year-old who makes the best use of his feminine features, won the Best Male Model in Bayelsa last year.

View pictures below and let us know if you are feeling his look...
photophotophotophotophotophotophotophoto

Dear All,

My marriage is just three months old. My father-in-law is a very good man, the kind of father I prayed for. I lost my father last year and he has become a fine replacement for him.

Since marrying his son, he has been there for me, telling me things he knows will help me live a wonderful life with my husband. Through him, I got to know what kind of things to avoid and what to hold tightly to.

He even went as far to teach me how to make his son’s favorite food which incidentally is also his. He said his mother used to cook it for him and that my husband fell in love with the food too when he went to live with her.

His wife, my stepmother-in-law is also an angel. Unless one is told she isn’t the biological mother of my husband, you won’t know from the way she dots on my husband and his elder brother. Her daughters and son accord their elder brothers every respect they deserve.

On the other hand, my mother-in-law is a terror. She is divorced from my father-in-law. I learnt she didn’t also last long in her second marriage. She is in her third marriage.

For some strange reasons, she and I didn’t get off on a good start. But being the younger woman, I have tried my best to be civil and to avoid getting into her wrong side.

But with her latest decision and desire, there is no way I can avoid it. About three weeks ago, she packed into my house without notifying me or her son.

I came back from work to meet her fully installed in my guest room. She even had my sister staying with us made a different kind of meal for her, different from the one I instructed them to make.

As if that wasn’t enough, she brought some clothes including her underwears she wanted my sister to wash. Out of respect, she did but left out the pants.

When I came back home, my sister was very angry and indicated her interest to go if she was staying. I waited for my husband to come back home before saying anything. He too didn’t like the idea of his mother coming and tried to persuade her to go back to her husband’s house.

Rather than face her son, she started raining curses on me and members of my family. There was nothing she didn’t say, including manipulating her son to favor his father instead of her; my husband and I bought a car for the father during his birthday.

She told everyone who cared to listen that I will not enjoy peace in her son’s home. Its been hell for me. My husband has been begging me but every day she spends in our home is hell. My father-in-law and his wife are currently in Ghana; I don’t know if I should call him to report the development in my home.

Every night, I hear her cursing any woman who will not allow her enjoy her son. What do I do? I am not cut out for her kind of person. Please help me because I am getting fed up and won’t mind leaving her son for my peace of mind.

I haven’t told my mother because she is yet to recover from my father’s death which affected her badly due to their closeness. Telling her what I am going through might kill her.

My-mother-in-law-is-a-terror, please help me.
Anambra State Government on Tuesday said four Heads of State and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev. Justin Welby, would be attending the burial of the literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, at Ogidi.


The burial of Achebe, 82, who died in the United States on March 21, holds on Thursday.
Secretary to the Government of Anambra State, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, confirmed the coming of the foreign dignitaries on Tuesday while briefing reporters on Achebe’s burial arrangements.

Obaze said President John Mahama of Ghana would be joining President Goodluck Jonathan and two other heads of state, whose attendance has been secured but awaiting final confirmation at the burial.
Although the state government had not declared a public holiday for the burial, Obaze said it was mandatory for civil servants to attend the ceremonies slated for the Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka on Wednesday.
Obaze said, “The whole effort is to give Prof. Achebe a burial that he deserves as a literary icon and a great Igbo hero. He was an international citizen.”

Achebe’s body, which arrived in Enugu on Tuesday, will be received in Awka on Wednesday (today).
Meanwhile, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, on Tuesday joined other stakeholders to receive Achebe’s corpse at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja.
Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo; and the National Chairman, All Nigeria Peoples Party, Dr. Ogobonaya Onu, were among eminent personalities at the airport to receive the corpse.

The British Airways aircraft, that conveyed his corpse, touched down at the airport about 4am.
The corpse, which was prayed for by an Anglican Bishop, was driven from the international wing of the airport to the local wing in a Mercedes Benz ambulance with number plate CHINUA ACHEBE.
Different Igbo cultural groups were at the local wing of the airport to welcome the renowned author of Things Fall Apart.

Anyim, who said Achebe left an outstanding legacy, urged his family to bear the loss with fortitude.
Obi, who represented other governors, said Achebe was a man of truth.
He said, “I am representing the governors here. Achebe led a life of truth and humility. He tried to preach truth that will make us a better nation.”
Ike, the eldest son of Achebe, said his father worked tirelessly for the good of humanity.
He said, “My father, as you know, was a writer, social critic, family man and one who worked tirelessly for the uplifting of his people. The definition of his people is actually very broad. It is for those who do not have a voice; it is for those who are oppressed and for those who are not really favoured. He stood against corruption and government oppression.

“However, as a family, we will miss his presence and I will miss his guidance and advice. But it is not really a time for mourning. We are celebrating a remarkable man, who lived a remarkable life. And we are very grateful that the world is better because Chinua Achebe was here.”
Achebe’s corpse, which arrived in Enugu about 12.36pm aboard a private aircraft, Overland Nigeria, marked 5N-BPE, was accompanied by his wife, Christy and children.
The author’s elder brother, Augustine, family members, Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Mr. Amechi Okolo, and commissioners were among personalities that were at the airport to receive his body.
Okolo, who represented Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, said the deceased would be missed by all.

“We are mourning Achebe today because he was part of the state,’’ he said.
President of Ogidi Union Nigeria, Chief Obi Okaro, said Achebe exhibited true leadership qualities in the union, adding that the community would immortalise him.
A university teacher, Prof. Ike Ndolo, canvassed that a national monument be named after the literary icon.
Ndolo, who decried the poor reading culture in the country, called for a collaborative effort to fight the menace.
 
 
 
 
 
Lol, Okay..This is so cool
Balloteli looks so cool when he was much younger..LOL, But now? Dude looks like a burnt offering, with his razz hairstyle and all. Heard His Girlfriend dumped him because of the threat again Real Madrid..
Messi..vibrant and energetic dude, looks cool when he was much younger..So gifted.
Rooney has that same smile
Michael jackson look-alike was spotted recently in akwa ibom doing his thing as usual..abeg no crucify me LOL..
LMAO...The Outfit on 2face is tantamously hilarious ^__^
Can you spot who is 2face and faze?
 
 2face and faze back in the days